CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(Monographs) 


ICMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadi  in  de  microraproductions  historiques 


D 


n 


10X 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  (or  tilming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


0 
3 
3 


3 


3 
3 
3 


3 


Coloured  covers  / 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged  / 
Couverture  endommag6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicuide 

Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps  /  Carles  g6ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bieue  ou  noire) 


I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 


3 


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Bound  with  other  material  / 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Only  edition  available  / 
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I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge 
intdrieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have  been 
omitted  from  filming  /  II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages 
blanches  ajout6es  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  lorsque  cela  etait 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  6te  f  ilm^es. 

Additional  comments  / 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
i\6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire qui  sont  peut-Stre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  dans  la  m^tho- 
de  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 

I     I  Coloured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

I I   Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommag6es 


D 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul^es 


r~~|   Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxeo  / 
K  I   Pages  d^color^es,  tachet^es  ou  piqu^es 

I      I   Pages  detached  /  Pages  d6tach6es 

\y\   Showthrough / Transparence 

I      I   Quality  of  print  varies  / 


D 
D 


D 


Quality  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material  / 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppl^mentaire 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata  slips, 
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possible  image  /  Les  pages  totalement  ou 
partiellement  obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une 
pelure,  etc.,  ont  ^\6  filmies  a  nouveau  de  fa^on  k 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 

Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant  ayant  des 
colorations  variables  ou  des  decolorations  sont 
film4es  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la  meilleure  image 
possible. 


his  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below  / 

:e  document  est  filme  au  taux  de  reduction  indique  ci-dessous. 


lOx 


14x 


18x 


12x 


16x 


20x 


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26x 


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24x 


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32x 


Th«  copy  filmed  hare  has  b««n  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'axamplaira  film4  fut  raproduit  grica  i  la 
gAnAroait*  da: 

Bibliotheque  nationale  du  Canada 


Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  eonsidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacificationa. 


Original  copias  in  printod  papar  covars  ara  fllmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printed  or  illustratad  impraa- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  »f  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  paga  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  anding  on  the  last  page  with  e  printed 
or  illustreted  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"). 
whichever  applies. 

Mapa,  plates,  chans.  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  »r»  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  images  suivantas  ont  *t*  raproduites  avac  Is 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nattet*  da  I'axemplaira  film*,  at  nn 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmage. 

Lea  axemplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couverture  an 
papier  eat  ImprimAe  sont  filmis  an  commandant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darniire  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  les  autres  axemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  ^n  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  emprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  darniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbols  ^-^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  plenches.  tableaux,  etc.,  pauvant  atre 
filmis  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirants. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  itra 
raproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  da  haut  an  bas,  an  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imegea  nAcassaira.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

MICROCOPY    RESOIUTION   TEST   CHART 

iANSI  nnd  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2; 


^     APPLIED  INA^GE 


".-.-.tester.    Ne*    y,..ri.  '^609  'SA 

■■6;    ',82    ■  OSOO      P^ore 


THE  THREE  RELIGIOUS  LEADERS 

OF  OXFORD  AND  THEIR 

MOVEMENTS 


JOHN  WYCLIFFE       JOHN  WESLEY 
JOHN  HENRY  NEWMAN 


•yyfCS?- 


THE  MACMII.IAN  COMPANY 

MIW  VORK    ■    nOHTDN       CHICA(.o   '    DALUIB 
AILANTA   •    MAN    rRANCISCU 

MACMIl-LAN  &  CO.,  I.imitid 

LONDON    ■    aoMlAV       CALCITTA 
MILSOl'INB 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Lt», 

TODONTO 


TIIK  THREE  RELKJIOUS 

LEADERS  OF  OXFORD  AND 

THEIR  MOV  EMENT8 

JOHN  WYCLIFFK        JOHN   WKSLEY 
JOHN   HENRY   NEWMAN 


BY 


S.   I'AUKES   CAUMAN 


NftD  gork 

THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

iyi6 

All  HghU  rtttrtui 


^& 


193651 


f'oPTKIIillT,    191lp, 

Bv  TIIK   MAC.MIM.AN   lOMPANY. 

Set  up  anu  electrotypcd.     Published  March,  1916.     Reprinted 
December,  1916. 


Xortoooli  i^rrfi 

.!.  S.  <'iishiiig  Co.      Iterwick  &  Smith  t'o. 

Ni.rWDiiil,  Mii^.,  r.B.A. 


4  i 


TTo 


WALTER  COUTAXT   IIUMSTONE 

OK    BROOKLYN 

IN  TOKKN  OF  ORATlTrKK  FOK  VKARS  II.H'MISATED 

BY    HIS    MANY    ACTS    OK    WISK    AND 

TENDKR    KKIKNDSHIP 

THIS    BOOK 

18   RESPECTFULLY    DEDICATED 


■^ 

=% 

? 


PREFACE 


This  book  was  suggested  by  a  course  of  lectures  delivered 
under  the  auspices  of  The  Brooklyn  Institute  of  Arts  and 
Sciences  during  the  Lenten  season  of  1913.  It  lias  since 
been  revised  with  some  care,  and  would  have  been  issued 
earlier  but  for  the  pressure  of  pastoral  and  public  duties. 
It  deals  with  tliree  great  Englishmen,  great  Christians, 
great  Churchmen,  and  loyal  sons  of  Oxford,  who,  as  it  seems 
to  me,  are  the  foremost  leaders  in  religious  life  and  activ- 
ity that  University  has  yet  given  to  tlie  world.  Many 
prophets,  priests,  and  kings  have  been  nourished  within 
her  borders,  but  none  wlio  in  significance  and  contribution 
to  the  general  welfare  compare  with  Wycliffe,  the  real 
originator  of  European  Protestantism;  Wesley,  the  Angli- 
can priest  who  became  tlie  founder  of  Methodism  and  one 
of  the  makers  of  modern  England  and  of  English-speaking 
nations ;  Newman,  the  spiritual  genius  of  his  century  who 
re-interpreted  Catholicism,  both  Anglican  and  Roman. 

Hence  I  have  named  the  volume  "The  Three  Religious 
Leaders  of  Oxford  and  their  Movements,"  a  title  which 
appears  to  be  vindicated  by  the  facts  so  far  as  I  have 
been  able  to  ascertain  them.  It  will  probably  be  said 
that  I  omit  some  of  these  and  misconstrue  others.  This 
is  more  than  likely,  and  if  it  be  so,  I  must  be  held 
wholly  responsible.  I  can  only  plead  in  extenuation  that 
I  have  tried  to  be  as  disinterested  and  as  just  as  my  stand- 
point and  the  information  at  my  disposal  would  permit, 
and  that  throughout  I  have  sincerely  intended  to  give  an 
impetus  to  that  fraternal   spirit  which  leads  to  a  more 


VIU 


PREFACE 


complete  apprehension  of  divine  trutli.     I  shall  be  a.nnlv 
rewarde.1  if  those  who  have  any  syn.pathy  wUh  tlu  m^ 
and  the  .novements  I  have  attempted  to  portray,     heZ 
Ronian  Cathohcs  or  Protestants,  are  .Iraln  „,o  e  closely 
together  m  the  honds  of  a  .onunon  faith  and  fellowship    ^ 
My  thanks  are  due  and  an-  here  respectfully  extend.,! 
to  the  Reverend  Doctor  Herbert  H.  Workmai  ,  I'rincin-^ 
of  W  estnunster  College,  London,  who  used  his  u  ,su     3^ 
know,.  ,,.e  of  Wyoliffe  and  of  Wesley  to  correct  tl  e Tr" 
eght  chap  ers;    to  my  colleague  at  Central  Church,  the 
verend  DavKl  Loina^,  for  his  constant  research  in    he 
^bjects  dascussed;   to  my  friends,  the   Reverend   Doctor 
W   L.  Watk.nson,  fonnerly  Editor  of  The  London  Quarterly 
i?m«Mhe  Reverend  John  L.  liel ford,  rector  of  the  Ro.nan 
(  athoho  C  .urch  of  the  Nativity,  Brooklyn,  and  the  Rev" 
erend  Doctor  Joseph  Dunn  Hurrell,  pastor  ;f  the  ClassJn 
A  enue  Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  sa„>e  borough,  fo^ 

Mg.  r  A  Ha.!,  of  Adelphi  College,  and  the  Reverend 
Charles  Waugh  for  their  fruitful  suggestions  and  S 
cat.on  of  quotations ;  and  to  the  ReveS.d  Oscar  L.  Joseph 
for  his  scholarly  assistance  and  preparation  of  the  Index 

ei/e  "boT  "  "^'f  '^  '•--'■"^--  t'.at  the  lectures  w  re 
gnen  before  an  audience  compose.l  of  different  religious 
denom.nations,  and  this  circumstance  rendered  nee  fary 

LTerSr    ^"'    '-'-'''    -''-'   °^'-^^-    -'^'^^    -- 

S.  PARKES  CADMAN. 

Centrai,  Conoreoationai.  Ciurch 
Brooklyn,  Nkw  York  (^irr.      ' 
September  the  first.  li»16. 


PROLOGUE 


Amoxi.  m;iny  .,tluT  l.<.n.-fit.  f„r  whirl,  History  hath  hw!.  hononrH 

in  this  on..  It  trimnphrth  over  all  huiiiiin  kiu.wlcdRc,  that  it  hath  Riven 

IIS  hfc  in  our  iiM.|.Tstaii.lin«,  sine-  l.y  it  the  worM  itself  had  life  ami 

»'Kirinin>;,  vm;,  to  this  .lay:  yea.  it  hath  triuinphe.1  over  Time   whieh 

l.f.-.i.l..s  It   imthiiiK  l>iit   Kt.Tiiity   hath  triutnphe.l  over.     For  it  hath 

.iirri.Ml  .„ir  knowl,..!;;..  over  the  vast  an.l  .levourinK  spaee  of  so  many 

th...isan,ls  .,f  y..ar.  an.l  Kiv.^n  s.,  fair  an.l  piening  ,.yes  t..  our  mimi,  that 

\w  plainly  l.,.h.,|.|  h\  iiif;  n..w,  as  if  we  ha.l  liv..,l  then,  that  great  world 

inaKiu  D.i  sapi.Mis  .,pus       -riu-  wi..-  w.d.l,'  saith  Hermes,  'of  a  great 

(mmI        as  It  was  then,  when  l.ut  new  to  itself.     Hy  it,  I  say,  it  is  that 

w.-  In,.  ,n  th..  x.rx-  tin...  wlu.n  it  was  erente.l;    we  liehol.lhow  it  was 

p.verne.l:  h.,w  .t  was  .■.,v,.re.l  with  wat.T  an.l  again  n-iH-opIcd  ;    how 

knigs  an.l  kinK-loins  hav,.  flourishe.l  an.l  fallen,  an.l  f..r  what  virtue  and 

piety  (,o<l  M.a.le  pr..sp.T..us,  an.l  f.ir  what  viee  an.l  deforinitv  He  made 

wr,.t.lu..l,  iM.th  the  .>ne  an.l  the  oth..r.     An.l  it  is  not  the" least  debt 

wliKh  w,.  .,we  unt..  Hist..ry,  that  it  hath  ina.le  us  aecpiainted  with  our 

ilea.l  an.'..st..rs,  an.l  ..ut  of  the  .l..pth  an.l  .larkness  of  the  Earth  deiiv- 

er.Ml  us  th,.|r  n...ni..ry  an.l  fam.-.     in  a  wor.l.  we  may  gather  out  of 

"'■':•"'•';'  I '■>  ""  '•■^•^  "'■^'-  tl'""  itenial.  l.y  the  comparison  and  appli- 

.■ati..n  ..f  oth..r  n...n's  af..repass,..l  miseries  with  our  own  like  errors  an.l 
ill-.leservu.gs.  — From  the  Prefaee:    History:   Ih  liighh  „,ul  Dignity. 

SiK  Walter  IIaleigh. 


■'1 

1 


PROLOGUE 

The  study  of  history  ciiiiiiot  j;ivi-  mathematical  certainty ; 
yet,  rightly  pursued,  it  should  instill  the  serious  and  reverent 
temper  which  lessens  tiie  daufjer  of  partisan  hiindncss.  A 
sense  of  the  largeness  and  complexity  of  the  experiences  of 
the  past  is  an  aid  to  the  recovery  of  their  vital  phases.  The 
more  deeply  these  exjHriences  are  j)ondered,  he  more  com- 
pletely they  are  stripjH'd  of  the  accidental  and  non-cssetitial, 
the  more  clearly  manifest  becomes  their  fundamental  rela- 
tion tt)  the  process  of  human  development. 

Such  considerations  are  always  of  value,  hut  never  more 
so  than  in  the  jK-riod  before  us.  For  durinf;  the  medii'- 
val  epoch  Church  and  State  were  intimatei\  related,  and 
those  who  would  piin  a  just  apprehension  of  the  era  must 
endeavor  to  attain   the   state   of  that   practised   observer 

"...   whose  cvfti-lialaiu'ctl  soul, 

From  first  youtli  testf<l  up  to  t-xtriMiic  old  age. 
Business  could  not  make  dull,  nor  passion  wild, 

Who  saw  life  ste.idilv,  and  saw  it  whole." 


Again,  throughout  the  Middle  Ages  the  limitation  of  man's 
power  over  his  environment  is  everywhere  strikingly  ap- 
parent. Of  means  of  expression  for  aspiration  and  ideal 
there  was  no  lack,  but  any  practical  realization  was 
obstructed  by  the  difficulties  and  complications  imposed 
by  circumstances.  IIow  philosophical  theories  influenced 
statesmanship  and  polities,  how  their  seeming  triumphs 
so  often  ended  in  disaster,  and  what  (pialities  cither  in  them 
or  in  their  advocates  clothed  them  with  influence  and  insured 


xu 


TIIUEK    KKLKiloUS  LKADKKS  (»K  OXFOUD 


JHTma.K.nt    l>,.,u.fi,..    >„li.|i,Vi„«   p.v.-n.n.n.t    un.l    ,..,,,1,. 

^"Kl.UHl.  Ilu.  att.M.pt  U,  r..,,n..lu«v  tlu-  litV  of  th,.  jhtLhI 
IS  inattTially  l.ain,.,n-.l.  heuvvcr,  l,y  tlu-  .,l,.s,„ritv  .,f  iht- 
siMTtnr  in  ulnVI.  ■nany  lin.s  of  acti..n  an.l  th-.-  c-lik-f  w-r. 
sonal.tu's  of  tlu>  a«..  an-  alik,-  n.v,.|.,,„..|.  Tl..  ..ri^/inal 
authontu-s  „,,.,„  whon,  hi.t..rians  ,„ust  r.-K  for  i„r.,„„u. 
turn  w.T...  a,  a  r..|,..  a-lvu-atcs  „f  s„nu-  pa'rti.ular  caust-. 
hey  kM..w  l.ttl.-  or  nothing  aho„t  r.,lu<i,.,.  vxcl  ^.u-stions 

I      I  '"';■."•    •^"'""  '"""''  ■'""•  ''•■''  ^'"••^   ^♦"•'>   th<-,„  in 
tlu  li>;ht  o»  tl....r  initiatory  .ircuiiistanc.s.     Swav,-.!  hv  con- 

tem,K,rary  vunvs.  th.y  scl.lom  sul.onli„at,-.l  th'fir  ,,urtisan 

prod,v,tu.s  to  tam.,.ss  of  stat..,n,-nt.  an.l  th.ir  work  hears 
lu;  in.pnss  ot   tlu-   passions   rathor  than   of  tlu-   intcllcrt 

Jnvat,.op,nio,M.rsp,.,.iai  sympathy  l,iaso,|  tlu-ir  j.Klp.u.nts; 

an<l  tlu.  .hroni.  ..ps  s<,uKht  in  tlu-ir  r..<„r.ls  to  vin.licat,.  ,,oli. 

nes  a.Hl  uulivuluals  aKro.-al,!.-  to  tluir  iM-.uiiar  ,H-rsuasions 

Uhm-  o,u-   Kron,)  coul.l   fin.l   nothing.   !,„,   tlu-   lu-iu-ficial 
anotlu.r   p,T<r>v,-,I    tlu-    portt-nts   of   «n,v,.   .jisastor.     Evi-n' 

he  hest  a.nonj;  tlu-,n  .li.l  not  n-roKni/.r  tlu-  sap,-rioritv.  as  u 
histonc-al  nu-tho.l,   of  ..ios.-  ohs.-rvation  ov.-r^-,npt^"  arsu, 
ment.        lu-.r  wr,t.nj,s  ran,v-.i  from  tlu-  Kn.t.-sc„u-ly  imapna- 
tne,  m-.l,.lons  ot  phy.i.al  pro.iiKi,..  and  .lis.lainful  ..f  fac-ts 
to   vapid   an.l   .-olopl.-ss   n-.-itals   without   pith   or  „u-anii„/ 
_hNule.u-.-s  ot  prr,l,u.rmination  w.-rc-  ritV  in  tlu-  wid«-lv  ditfcr- 
"IK  estunat.-s  of  pontitl'.,  priiuvs.  pr,-iat,-s.  an.l  ..clu, la  sties 
whose-  <,.r.-,.rs  wc-n-  woven  int.,  the  tangle  of  eurr.-nt  (-ontro- 
\er.sies^     An.l    tlu-    W(-il-pois,-.l,    inany-si.k-d    historian    who 
m,«ht  have   „-,pu-athe,l  to  ns  a  .leta.he.l  an.l  .-.nnprehensive 
survey  ot  the  .■<clesia>ti.al  .-vents  aronn.l   which   medieval 
(•ivi_h.ati..n   e,-nt.-r.-.l.  an.l   fn.m    which   mo.|.-rn   i.leas  were 
pr..j..eted.  was  tlu-n  s.ar.-.-ly  a  i>..ssil.ility.     Kmin.-nt  scholars, 
however    such  as  Fr.-eman,  Stnhhs,  (Vei^hton.  Seeley.  and 

^dlt      •  T ;■'■"■""";'  ^'""  ^"""  "^  '""^  I>"^t  -"turies 
and  li.ueenable.1  us  t..  un.lerstan.l  me.lieval  men  and  affairs, 


4i 


PKOLOOl'K 


XUl 


not  only  wlit'ii  tlivy  wire  swayed  hy  unusiiiil  (ircunistanct's, 
but  also  hy  those  (11111111011  M-ntiments  wiiich  influencT  all 
aj{i's  alike.  The  process  has  dwarfeil  some  henws  and 
rohluil  some  events  of  a  spurious  j;reatiiess,  hut  the  dis- 
illusionment was  iis  necessary   as  it  was  wise. 

Ranke's  axiom,  which  lie  hiniscif  exemplified,  "simply 
to  find  out  how  things  occurred,"  recpiires  tar  more  tiian  the 
perusal  of  ancient  manuscripts.  The  knowledjje  of  the  main 
lines  of  history  ;  of  tlie  motives  .it  the  root  of  steadfast 
national  purposes;  of  constantly  interferinn  factors  of  in- 
fluence; and  a  vivid  realization  of  the  continuity  of  the 
historical  process,  and  of  the  shaping:  \n>\\vr  of  vigorous  per- 
sonality, are  prime  requiMtes  for  tiie  successful  interpreta- 
tion of  the  past.  Our  gratitude  is  due  to  the  historians  who 
have  conformed  to  these  princii>les;  they  recall  the  Greek 
adajie  that  truth  is  the  fellow-citizen  of  the  jrods. 

It  was  a  notahle  achievement  to  hridjie  the  fiulf  made  by 
the  Renaissance  hetween  tiie  Medieval  and  the  Modern  era. 
The  faith  and  laws,  tin-  ideals  and  jiractices,  the  conceits 
and  fancies  of  our  remoter  j)ro>;enitors  still  apin-ar  strange 
and  perplexiuj;  to  the  unaccustomed  e\e.  IJut  the  trained 
and  patient  interpretation  of  the  nineteenth  century  scholar 
has  brought  them  nearer  to  us,  moralized  the  entire  method 
of  research,  and  taught  us  to  moderate  alike  our  denuncia- 
tion and  our  eulogy.  The  occup.iiits  of  that  era  confronted 
obstacles  too  great  for  their  resources  to  surmoimt.  The 
influx  of  a  larger,  freer  life  had  seriously  weakened  many 
venerable  customs  and  institutions,  and  wiiile  these  slowly 
succumbed  the  reconstruction  of  the  social  fabric  was  de- 
layed by  treachery,  violence,  and  war.  Yet  even  in  this 
disdainful  passage  of  the  irresistible  tide,  preparatory  to 
impending  change,  the  primal  elements  of  human  progress 
were  not  submerged.  Amid  the  chaos,  the  pretensions  of 
the  aristocracy  and  the  delusions  of  the  proletariat  were 
checked ;  clericalism  measured  itself  against  the  rapacity 
and  pride  of  kings  aud  barons;    municipalities  arose,  eu- 


»iv       TiniKK    „KLI<„.,US  ,,KADK„S  „K  „XP„„n 
iliunts  „,„l  ,v„,u,„, n'.Ncitniiit.  .,r  wIi.t,.  m.r- 

-po...  ,.v,„,,„i,:, ':;:;.;  ,'',i:S  ■;r';:""."":"r'  •" 

prfexi.st,.„t  an,I  „hliL'..,t(.rv  lau      ?''"•/ ^      ^""^'•^''t^  to 

il^lll.    III    ct(l\illl('|||ir    illt(.||iiri.iw.«.         'PI,     i 

ms\n.l    fr,.n,   tlu      ll        /    '"    ^'7'' J»^ti«s  as  .listin- 

tlu.  insuIarit^  of  F.du  .htl.    f     ''"  /"^r^-^"'"^^'  ''i^turhe.1 
face  to  face  with  th    I         '       '     "f''""^  '"■""''''"  t''^'  ^^'^'^^ 

arose  after  the  ,l,.f....t     f  !       ,,  ,         '"'  "at'onahsm  which 
I'apaev     :.;  U    '      •?'    ''•'  'Y'  '/""""  '^'"f''^  '»•  t'"' 

generous  ree..,,tio,.thtw     •^" /■"""^^>-  f'^e    a    more 

of  the  State  1^.,,  ,      tZo"'^''^::^''  'f  .^'^r  'l'^^'^^^^' 
i^'i^iaiui.     Her  >;eo^TaphKal  situation 


I 


PROLOOl'E 


XV 


and  the  temper  of  her  jK-opIe  liml  always  separattnl  luT  from 
tlu'  currents  of  coiitiiu'iitul  iipiiiion,  ami,  while  this  was  a 
loss  ill  some  res|M-cts,  in  most  it  proved  a  decided  K"'ii.  The 
stages  in  human  evolution  are  >eldom  noti-d  until  they 
stand  out  in  the  hold  relief  of  a  crisis.  Their  (K-curreruv  in 
the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  iriituries  was  registered,  and 
their  changes  accomplished,  through  such  int»'rme«liaries 
as  St.  Francis,  IntUHvnt  III,  (Jrosseteste,  Edward  I,  Wyditfe, 
and  other  great  ix-rsonalities,  who  focustnl  and  intensifie*! 
the  tendencies  of  their  ila\'. 

These  observations  also  a|)ply  to  the  eighteenth  and 
nineteenth  centuries.  John  Wesley  expressinl  the  spiritual 
aspirations  and  transformed  the  character  of  his  age  more 
profoundly  and  permanently  than  did  any  other  contempo- 
rary F)nglishman.  Even  the  yoiuiger  I'itt,  who  <lefeated 
Napoleon  the  Great,  and  added  India  to  the  British  Empire, 
is  now  seen  to  have  been  inferior  in  lasting  influence  to  the 
apostolic  evangelist  who  revived  the  <H>nsciousness  of  a 
redeeming  GcmI.  Newman  quickened  a  sense  of  ecclesiastical 
universalism  which  his  insular  countrymen  had  dcrmed 
obsolete.  He  linked  Anglican  t(»  continental  Christianity. 
This  achievement  has  largely  deterniineil  for  the  past  sixty 
years  the  conceptions  of  the  Establishment  concerning  its 
ministerial  and  sacramental  efficiency ,  its  forms  of  worship, 
and  its  relations  with  other  Communions.  The  reader  will 
expand  for  himself  the  consequeiurs  following  such  major 
events  as  the  American  Revolution,  the  French  He  volution, 
the  growth  in  politics  and  in  morals  of  those  plain  an<l  fun- 
damental principles  which  a  series  of  tragical  experiences 
discovertnl  to  be  the  basis  of  just  government.  The  ever- 
increasing  conviction  that  sovereignty  nuist  reside  with  the 
people  gave  rise  to  the  American  Republic,  regenerated 
Franci',  democratize<l  the  Hritish  nati()n  and  its  colonies, 
and  still  strives  for  an  intelligent  formulation  in  other  coun- 
tries of  mankind.  Nor  were  these  later  tvnturies  deprived 
of  publicists  whose  passion  for  leadership  was  an  energetic 


xvi 


THUEE  IiELlOIOl-8  LEADEIW  OF  OXFORD 


«<ti\  ity  both  for  ifcMHl  nnd  I'vil     tk    •  . 

;  the  contaKi.,n  of  th.  tiJl^r  ^i: '"'  T T"  ^^"^ 
they  wer..  i„  olosfst  f.Houshin  ull  ''"'' '"""' ^''n** 

principle  to  power     d  .fitl:"""  """'?  ^'''''^  «'"ifi«.ll 

-id  be.  effected  by  un;;;^ u  :J::-^^^^^^^ 


CONTENTS 


BOOK   I 

JOHN   WVrLlFKK   AND    LATER 
MKDIKVALISM 

OHAPTIK 

I.     Hrraldh  or  Kefukm 
II.    S<nTRcKi«  or  Wyclifi'ianihm  . 

III.      TlIK    QrAKRKL    WITH    TIIK    PAfACY 

IV'.     I'rixcE!*  a.vi>  I'koplk 

EmLOOUR   ANI>    BlBLIUtiRAPHY 


a 

47 

HI 

12.5 

105 


HOOK 

JOHN    \VESLP:Y    AM)  THK    EKJWTEENTH 
CENTlltV 

V.    Ancestry  akd  Tkaimno       .... 

VI.     Darknki«8  ani>  Dawn 

VII.    CosFLioT  ani>  Victory 

VIII.      Co.NHOLIDATlUN    A.NI>    KxPAN!«l(>N      . 

Epilouue.    Important  Dates.    Bibliooraphy 


176 
213 
259 
311 
365 


BOOK  III 

JOHN  HENRY  NEWMAN  AND  THE  OXFORD 
MOVEMENT  OF  lS3.'i-1845 

IX.    The  Ninetrenth  Ckntiry  Rknaissanck  .        .  387 

X.     Newman's  Dk.velopmk.nt  ani>  I'k.ksonality       .        .  433 

XI.    Tractarianism  and  its  Results         ....  505 

Epilogue  and  Bibliography ^T2 


Index 


591 


ZTil 


% 

I, 


BOOK  I 
JOHX  WYCLIFFE 

AND 

LATER  MEDIEVALISM 


w^f^B^y-'-.i-^^swuf^m^.-' 


i  I 


(•IVE  me  a  spirit  that  on  this  life's  roiiRh  sea 

Even  t.ll  h.s  sail-yards  tren.l.le,  his  masts  cra,-k. 
And  his  rai,t  ship  run  on  her  si.le  so  low 
Ihat  she  drinks  water,  and  her  keel  p|„ws  air. 

Gkokok  Ciupman:    Trage,ly  of  Charles, 
Duke  of  Byron.     Act  III,  Sc.  I. 


%i 


CHAITER  I 
HERALDS  OF  REFORM 


-■'- ;t::;::,r;,,,,s:t:;:r"*  ■™-' 

/.  ;;■  ■;'."'''''''^V';^"'|.i.' ..f  i.,.r  ...v.vii,.,,,,, 

I-  r>df  tlic  Kl„rv  of  „  ,.r„lit„r. 
lioth  rliiinks  iind  iis«.. 


CIIAITKIl    I 


HEKALDS   OK    ItKFOUM 

VVycliffc's  place  in  liistory  —  His  protest  iinainst  religious  an<l  polit- 
ical oppression  -  Skotrh  of  .l.-vflopinciit  of  Anglican  resistance  to 
Papal  claims  — llildet.ran.i  -  His  conception  of  a  tlie<Mrac.v —  Rela- 
tions with  William  the  Conciueror  -  Controversy  rej,'anlinK  lay  inves- 
titure —  Henry  H  and  Hi-<ket  -Constitutions  of  ClarendoM  —  Hwket  s 
influence  on  his  countrymen  -  Kin^'  John  His  (piarrel  w  ith  Innocent 
HI  —  Papal  intenlii't  on  Kii^laml  -  John's  excommunication  and  his 
ahjiH-t  surrender  -dreat  Charter  (irossetcste  -His  resistance  to 
Innocent  IV  —  Henry  de  Hracton       Simon  de  Montfort  -  Kdward  I 

—  His  conflict  with  Honiface  VIII  -  The  development  of  Knjilish 
nationalism  under  his  rule -Contrast  hctwi-en  i:!th  and  1  1th  cen- 
t„rii.s  —  Period  of  WycliliVs  l.irtli  one  of  general  deca<lence  —  Birth- 
place of  the  Ueformer  -  Karly  years  Kntra nee  at  Oxford  -  Karly 
history  of  Oxford  -  Ori^tin  of  tiie  Inivcrsity  Me-iieval  meaninj,'  of 
the  terms  "I'niversity "  and  •'('oUcKf"  Founding;  of  KngUsh  college 
system  —  Walter  de  Merton  -  William  de  Wykeliam  —  Physical 
characteristics  of  Me<lieval  Oxford  ~  Conditions  of  liviuR  -  Heneficent 
influence  of  College  Foiniders  —  Obscurity  of  Wyclitfe's  Oxford  life  — 
The  "Nations"  —  Resources  of  Medieval  students  —  Laical  s|)irit  of 
the  Colleges  -  Their  fretNlou'  from  class-distinctions  —  Wy<litTe  as  the 
Master  of  Balliol  —  Kl»H-tion  to  lienefices  —  Obtains  degree  in  theology 

—  His  position  as  a  scholar. 

I 

The  paramount  iiiten-st  of  'Vy{littV'>  work  as  a  reformi-r 
c'onters  in  his  coiiraf^eoiis  stand  for  relijjions  and  political 
freedom  dnrinfi  the  qnarrel  between  the  Knfjlish  ^'oventment 
and  the  l'ai)acy.  'Phis  recurrent  eonfliet  had  its  sordid  and 
rep-'.sive  phases,  which  were  relieved  hy  the  devotion  of  the 
few  who,  eoneeiitratinj;  their  enerj;ies  on  the  prineiples  in- 
volvetl,  Rave  the  dispute  a  moral   significance,  and   largely 


!   I 


6  THREE   RELrOIOUS  LEADERS  OP  OXFORD 

deterrnincd  the  otitcom..    A  F.rief  rfeume  of  the  rK,ints  at 
i^^^ue  m  tins  protrac-tc.!  strife  is  i,.  ,.1^,..  here 
1  lie  origin  of  the  stniL'de  is  trir,.iM,>  ♦     ♦! 

Inter  r,.v„U  :„„,„  „..,„,  V-,n wl':  j  S';:  f^  „" 

tx-Ugeratui    tor  there  was  a  eom.ection  with  the  Paoarv 

Prove  that  the  relationship  n  ' '^Si^..^  ^^  J:^  ^  ^ 

nil  r.     '  ;''^^"''^^""^''^"  ■•—  f«T  it;  seC-eran  ' 

Ilihlehran.  .  who  gave  a  .lefinite  enunc^iation  to  the  Panal 

;.^n.  Philosophies  :^rtlL..t:^^^^^^^ 

oneene  or  rev.v,.  far-r<.a<.hing  policies,  and  possessed  of  a 
pone  rafve  knowledge  of  mankind  and  a  pnfpheUc  unde 
standuig  of  the-  spirit  of  his  ace      The  nnrin.    ti-  , 

"    P     ,"•'.'"  '"'"'■■  i-"il,raciii|t  tlio  entire  world,  over  which 
»s  (,,Hl  s  \  „,.ger,.„,.  he  ,„serte,l  hi,  M,vereiB„tv      Hvil  or 
'e..Bio„,  nder,  misht  no,  „„e,,ion  the  premgative    of  hi, 
offiee,  .nee  they  were  e..„fe,re,l  by  the  Dei.v  HiL|     to 

heon    II  I  T        T  ""'•''"'  ''"'I"''  '"  ""■■  "■»!">  »f  remote 


JOHN  WYCLIPFK 


ciated.  Sagacious  and  anient,  he  knew  how  to  conform  to 
the  immemorial  traditions  of  the  Papacy,  and  also  how  to 
stamp  upon  its  fabric  and  diplomacy  the  impress  of  his  com- 
manding nature.  Although  he  failed  in  certain  directions, 
he  nevertheless  succee<led  in  investing  the  Holy  See  with  a 
spiritual  influence  which  ovcrawe«l  and  yet  in  a  measure 
cemented  the  continental  nationalities.  He  accomplished 
by  the  subtle  suggestions  and  definite  claims  of  sjicerdotal 
authority  a  task  which  armed  hosts  would  have  found  im- 
possible. But  the  defects  latent  in  Hildebrand's  statecraft 
began  to  appear  even  during  his  own  administration,  and 
increased  in  after  times.  He  could  not  induce  England  to 
bow  to  his  spiritual  autocracy  :  then  as  now  she  was  sheltered 
by  that  splendid  isolation  which  has  always  guarded  her 
from  continental  ecclesii>sticism.  The  inherent  sense  of 
freedom  which  the  .Vnglo-Saxon  people  cherished  survived 
even  the  Xorman  Conquest  and  prevented  the  feudal  system 
from  taking  deep  root  on  English  soil. 

Hildebrand  knew  that  Englishmen  would  not  willingly 
permit  the  imposition  upon  them  of  any  system,  however 
impressive  in  its  scope  and  purpose,  which  jeopardize<l  their 
national  autonomy ;  and  in  the  hope  of  counteracting  this 
sentiment  he  had  advist.;!  his  predecessor,  Alexander  H,  to 
bestow  his  blessing  upon  the  expedition  of  the  Duke  of 
Normandy  in  1()0().  The  desires  of  the  two  ecclesiastics  were 
frustrated  by  the  (^)nqneror  himself,  who  so  quickly  ab- 
sorbetl  the  leaven  of  his  new  realm  that  when  the  three 
legates  were  despatched  from  Rome  by  the  Pope  to  demand 
homage  from  the  king  for  his  new  island  dominion,  they  met 
with  the  severe  rebuff,  —  "  Homage  to  thee  I  have  not 
chosen,  nor  do  I  choose  to  do.  I  never  made  a  promise  to 
that  effect,  nor  do  I  find  that  it  was  ever  performed  by  my 
predecessors  to  thine."  The  Xorman  bisiiops  who  were 
appointed  to  English  sees  were  careful  to  adopt  their  mon- 
arch's policy.  The  Primates  of  Canterbury  and  York  had 
always  been  supreme  in  their  archiepiscopates,  and  there 


t\ 


8  THHKK    KKLir.IOlS   LKADKRS  OF  (►XFORD 


,   I 


Wire  nil  iiidicatHms  in  the  tenor  of  pn-vioiis  Papnl  decrees  or 
edicts  that  the  Toih'  claimed  tlie  ri^ht  of  overlordship. 
Thus  sustained  In  precedent,  the  <ivil  power,  both  Iwfore 
and  after  the  ('on(|iiest,  retained  certain  rights  in  Kn^land 
which  it  did  not  pos>c»  in  'Jerniany.  It  sliould  Ix-  added, 
however,  that  the  An;:lican  Church  was  far  from  heinj; 
locally  indcpenilent.  and  that  no  one  was  more  anxious  than 
the  ("on<|ueror  to  hrin-;  it  into  touch  with  c(»ntin»"ntal 
Catholicism. 

Hildehnnd   roortcd   to  other  measures:    in   1(»7.')  a  hull 
was   is>ued   denying;   to   tile   laity   the   rij;ht  of   investiture 
for  cimrclie^  ;   tiirec  years  later  investitures  were  pronounced 
invalid  when  tlnis  liestowed,  and  the  i)enalty  of  ex<(inununi- 
cation   wa>  passed   n|Min  thoM-  diMiheyiiij;  the  edict.     Lay 
investiture   originated    wlien    hishops   and    ahhots    hecame 
tem|>oral  lords  and  bestowed  upon  laymen  extensive  church 
proiHTtics    in    return    for    military    service.     Kcclesiastical 
office  was  then  luld  to  he  of  tlie  nature  of  a  fief  for  which 
homage  was  <lue  to  th.-  kin>;.     If  a  Chapter's  choice  of  its 
bishop  or  al)bot  was  disi)leasin^'  to  the  monarch,  he  could 
refuse  to  r.itify  tlie  eh-ction,  whereupon  during;  the  interval 
the  income  of  tlic  benefice  reverted  to  the  Crown.     William 
Hufiis,  ;lie  nnMTni)nloiis  son  and  successor  of  the  Conqueror, 
wjis  a  notorious  traii^j;ressor  in  this  resix'ct.     lie  kept  the 
see  of  Canterbury  vacant  four  years  that  he  mij;ht  appro- 
liriacc  it>  cinoinnicnt-.     In  a  Ht  of  remorse,  due  to  his  fear 
of  ileatii.   he   nominated    to  the   Trimacy   the  saintly   and 
learned  Aiiselm.  abbot  of  Hec  in  Xormandy,  a  thinker,  a 
sensitive  pietist  of  the  character  which    Kii;;lishmen    seldom 
ai>preciate  symi)atlietically,  but  one  who,  to  (piote  the  phrase 
of  Roiisard,  "iijid  travcleil  far  on  the  <;reeii  path  that  leads 
men  into  remembrance."     Ipon  the  king's  recovery  from 
sickness  his  compunction  vanished,  and  he  resumed  an  op^n 
and  shameiess  barter  of  >piriliial  diiinities.     Anselm's  gentll' 
and  sincere  nature  was  not  devoid  of  sterner  qualities :    lie 
opposed  the  dcs])oti->m  of  Uufus,  an<'  defended  not  onlv  the 


1^ 


} 


JOHN   WYCMKKK  " 

.Icrical  onlrr.  hut  also  tin-  iiii|HTil«'«l   ri^lits  of  tlu>  subject. 
l'ii\(liiiH  it  (Uisafc  to  HMuain  iu  nsulciur.  tlu-  Archhisliop 
apiH-ale.!  iu  Imtsou  to  I'oih-  rrl)aii  11.     It  was  .luriu>:  iiis 
al.sfiicc  from  ("auU-rhury  that   tlu-  i)n-lat«',  who  was  pre- 
(lon\inautly   tlu'  (luift   srholar.   fouud   It-isurc  to   write   his 
,rlfl)rate<l"  treatise,   "('ur  Deus   Ilouio."     .\fter  the  deatli 
of  Uufus.  he  refused  to  di>  homage  to  Herirv   1,  or  receive 
investiture  at  his  hands.     Toim-  I'asclial   11   sauctioue.1  tlu 
Primate's  action,  and  eveiitnally  a  coniproniise  was  effected. 
.\fter  the  vexed  rei};n  of  Stephen,  during  which  the  armi<-s 
of   the  l)isho])s  fought  against  those  of  the   kiu«,  the  lU'Xt 
ojMii   breach   with   the    Papacy   o.rurred    uiuler   Ileury    II. 
The  clerjiy  now  demaude<l  trial  in  their  own  courts,  which, 
in  accordance  with  the  unwise   legislation   enacted  at  the 
Conqiu-st,  w«Te  separated  fn-iu  the  rejrular  jurisdiction.     The 
flajirant  i)artiality  of  the  cl.  rical  judiciary,  its  frecpient  mis- 
carriaj;es  of  justice,  and  the  lunnher  and  iufhienc    of  those 
tonsureil  miscreants  who  w.tc  thus  exemirt  from  t  .,  conunou 
law,  eon  .tituted  a  };rav»-  menace  to  iH>ace  and  orderhy  makiud 
the   sacerdotal   office   a   haven    for   cruninals.     The   hijiher 
clergy   surrounded   thenis.'lves  with   retinues  of  armed    re- 
tainers, aiuouK  wlu.m  were  warrior  priests  and  not  a  few  of 
the   baser   sort.     In    '".u-    ranks   of   the   lower   clergy    were 
numerous  rascals  who  had  escaiH-<l  punislunent  for  offVnses  of 
which   they   were  palpal)ly   K'lih.v.     While  the  controversy- 
was  at  its  hei^'ht  Henry  bestowed  the  archbishopric  upon  his 
chancellor,  Thomas  a  Heckct,  succin.tly  described  by  Wil- 
liam of  Newburjih  as  one  "bnrnin<;  with  zeal    for   justice, 
b\it  whether  altogether  according'  to  wisdom,  (iod  know-s." 
Heckct  at  once  became  the  champio"  '>f  the  extreme  clerical 
party,  and  his  sturdy  resistance  of  Henry's  efforts  to  subdue 
it    strained    th.-ir    fri.'nd>hip    to    the    breaking'    point.     In 
.lanuary,  11(11,  a  (Ireat  Council  was  convened  at  Clar*    don, 
near  Salisbury,  to  re.lucc  the  friction  between  Church  and 
State.     The  "n'solutions    then    fraiued,    and    subsecpiently 
I.laced  upon  the  statute-book,  were  termed  the  "Coustitu- 


I 


if 


;i  I. 


10        THUKK    liKLKMoLs   LKADKUS  OP  OXFORD 

«l'«>"  <<.".l..,n.H-.|  a.ul  ,|..«n..|,..|  In  tlu-ir  ..u„  ......rts   soil' 

vvlurh  n....k..t  proiHTlv  ol,j..,,..,|  that  this  vvo,.|.|    ,     n  i,',  ' 
man    tu„...    for   tl...    san...   oir.-n...     Civil    . J    s    i,  ^     S.! 

Sir ;;:  r-  '•  '"■  r'ir'  '^■^•^'-  ^'»-  -'^  - 

tririmal.       |  hr  .I.Tiry  w.tc  forl,i,|,ln.  to  h-avr  th.-  coiintrv 
;v.tl.o„t  tlu.  „.o„anh-s  ..o„s,.nt.   n..itlu.r  ,.o,.l.l   a  ,Z  ho 
tak.-n  to  Ro„„.  ..ith,.„t  th.  roval  li....„s...     TlH^a^T  t" 
••..'Hrnnnu  n.v,.stitMr.-.  um.I.t  th.  tonus  of  whi.l    tl     A  " 
"  l':«r.l  iMshops  an.|  ai.l.ots  t..  .lo  :.o„.a«,.  to  the  k  „.  Tr 
tl.nr  te,nporal  pro.HTti.s.  .as  ..onHnn.  .     Aft,"  r  Z,^^ 
..n.    ..«san..p,iv..atio„s,^.k.t«av.^ 

AnhL.shop  s  n.fra.tory  attitu.l...  an.l  H,.,.kot  t\c,\  to  Fnn   • 
>"   Wm,.,.,.    n.>4.   to  c.s,.a,K.   n,.„rv-s  an^.-r     Thm    h  • 

t|u   townsfolk  u-,.„t  ,„  procs.ioM  to  m.rt  him  outsi.le  the 
cty   an,i  esc.ort.-.l  hi„,  i„  triun.ph  to  his  c-hurc-h. 

in>r  hns  l.rok,'  out  ap.n,.  o„K   to  !«•  nucncluHl  l.v  thp  ... 
.«.nofth.f.H.ss,.Hat.iuon.!.fthe^^^^^^^^ 

athulral      Ih.-  ,rnue  vxnU.l  universal  horror  ami  execr,- 
t.on  :    tho  four  k„i,l,s  uhos.  f.roc.ions  .larin,  b  tic  k  ns's 
servu-e  prompt...|  tlu-  .uunhx  ha,|  al.solut.lv  ruinc  i  2i 
masters  proj..,,s.     Hn.ry  ..naile,!  l,..for..  tla-  st  ^m  o    In 
^.nat.on.hi..hs..,.ov..rKnrop..;    1.   'hn;;:^      ^f  .^ 
P..pal   clcvrees,    an„„ll,.,|    the   Constitntious   of   C'laren.l.n 

Sk"vt:;."''*;r'^'"'i""'?'!'^"''''''-"^ 

Be  ket    1  ,  ■      "■  '"''.'"''"•  "•Imin.tio,,  win,.},  ha.l  fol|„w«l 

Huket  .lurniK  Ins  later  hfe  was  ,lne  to  his  eouram.us  .leter 

«.n  and  st...,fast  .ea!  for  what  lu.  1..IH  to  |,r- ^^^^^ 
as.  n^t   kn.K  a,Mi    l.aro.is.     Xothi,..  eoul.l    have  enhance,! 
t hat  a.lnnration  u.ore  than  the  manner  of  his  en.lin-/     \ 
Kn,hshman  of  the  MiH.lle  A,es  n.a.le .,,"-.  ^ 


lOIIN    WVCLIKKK 


II 


pri'ssion  on  liis  ('oiiiitryiiuii  tis  tlid  'I'liniiiiis  of  ('antorhtiry. 
It  lius  Ix't'ii  Wfll  said  that  if  Aiiseliii  wiis  a  saint  wlioso  siip<'- 
riority  to  ordinary  nnitivrs  inadf  liiin  a  stat<-.man,  H»'«k»'t 
was  u  statt'snian  \\lins«-  political  andacity  was  truiisfuriiitii 
l>y  till'  ])opular  iina^'ination  into  sainthoud. 


II 

A  deeper  humiliation  awaitnl  the  Crown  in  tht>  ri-ipn 
of  the  st'coiiil  Ilt-nry's  son  John,  whose  folly  an*l  wickedness 
plunKinJ  the  nation  into  tiirhulenee  and  dishonor.  After 
the  death  of  ArchWishop  Ilnhert  Walter,  whicii  occurred  on 
July  12,  ll.'(l'),  a  dispute  arose  between  the  kinn  and  the 
Chapter  of  the  see  in  refirence  to  Walter's  successor.  The 
younger  monks  mtt  in  haste  before  the  (hreaswl  Primate 
was  buried,  and  without  applying  for  the  royal  warrant 
elected  their  sub-prior  Reginald.  They  even  went  so  far 
us  to  install  him,  and  then  secretly  <lispatched  him  to  Rome 
to  obtain  the  Papal  confirmation.  During  his  passage 
through  Flanders,  Reginald  violati-d  the  confidence  of  his 
brethren  by  publicly  announcing  himself  as  the  Archbishop- 
elect.  In  the  ensuing  tumult  the  king  nominated  John  de 
(irey.  Bishop  of  Norwich,  the  bishops  and  the  older  monks  of 
the  Chapter  accjuiescing,  an<l  a  second  deputation  at  once 
set  out  for  the  \'atiean  to  push  the  claims  of  the  king's 
candidate. 

The  Pontiff,  Innocent  III,  was  a  consummate  administra- 
tor, in  counsel  wary,  in  fidelity  to  his  office  impregnable,  and 
an  unflinching  advocate  of  absolutism  as  enunciated  by 
Ilildebrand.  "Regal  dig' 'ty,"  .said  Innocent,  "should  be 
but  a  reflection  of  the  I'.ipal  authority  and  entirely  sub- 
ordinate to  it."  He  was  not  prone  to  deceive  himself,  and 
he  was  not  liable  to  be  deceived  by  others.  His  fame  has 
been  cloudtnl  by  the  contention  that  he  originated  the 
Inquisition,  and  it  is  beyond  (juestion  that  he  gave  impetus 
to  the  extirpation  of  heresy  by  physical  violence,  deeming 


ft 


I. 


it '4 


I: 


'■•IKKK    KKMOKM'S    LKXDKHs  „K   oXK.mM. 


!' 


't  liijrli   tnasun  airaiiist    llniii.n      'pi,     i  ■ 

"r"'v"" ^'^^-"'^'^^:^:r:;!lh^ •■• • 

l)..nnK  t  „.  vv....k  iMforr  Cl.ristn.as.   l:.,Mi.  ,1.;.  rivals  for 
.•  ar..h  ,,.  .,.r,..  uvn-  lu-anl  at  th.-  I'apal  .....rt.  «W  Z 
iMKKs    .luplintv     pr.-.i,,itat.t|     |,is    ,|,.f.at       Wl  il 

;-tr^ "- ^•- 'N-tiTs i.i..,,!;.i,  !'  'ti';. 

»•;."".  !"•  att.„„.t,..|  to  l,ril„.  tl...  offi,,als  ,.f  th.    '..r.;  „ 

.t„r:;r'  tt'  •■'  ■■■■"-■  "■■•» .^  i'i . 

"Por.  I.in        U    1      ,  irr'"  "*'^^-'.-''"  --  '-i"«  thrust 
nini      At  this  unl.Iiislui.jr  prrvancat  (.11,  tlu-  I'oot'  t.M.k 

ur    of  tlu.   cvkl..ss  km«  fdl  upon  tlu-  monks  who  hal.h.r,., 
t-  <l.M.hey   his  maiHlat...     rnno....„t  ..ount..r...l   his  ass'iult' 

pp'il^''Z""'""''^''''''"     ■■"'^'''"-''- -. ...,„..  K„..ss..ri..s-; 


rdllN    \VV(I,II|-K 


i:{ 


with  iiti  iinprt'ssivi-  iimnifcstutinri  <!  the  I'apal  authority 
whi<'h  rfcail<-<l  that  niadi-  hy  lliiihhraiiil  at  Caiiossa.  In 
th«'  spriiiR  (if  l2(IS,thf  n-alrn  \va>  sii  Idi-iily  ilcprivi-d  of  its 
rt'liKious  iiistrurtioii  ami  iiiiiustry,  an<l  tlu>s«'  holy  offices 
of  faitli  ami  coiisohition  wliich  wvw  Mu'Mtl  nc(<"s-«ary  to 
i>t«Tiial  siiivation  won*  siniultaiiroiisly  withdrawn.  Tliis 
stU|M'n(h>us  s»'nt«i\<«',  a  forniidahic  hut  al-.o  sfif-dcstnir- 
tivf  wt'a|M)ii  of  thf  mnlioval  Chiinli,  fiiird  the  heart  of  tlir 
nation  with  >jri«'f  and  disniav.  What  rlffit  it  liad  on  the 
kinjj  can  only  l)c  conjectured  ;  at  any  rate  he  otTered  I.anj;- 
ton  the  royahies  of  his  see  and  pive  him  iMTinission  to  visit 
KnKliind.  But  ov«Ttures  for  ixace  were  at  ai\  end  hy  the 
time  the  Archhishop  arrived  at  Dover;  the  l)i.shops  fled 
the  country,  the  parochial  clcr>;,\  wen-  outlawed  from  their 
charges,  and  the  monasteries  and  numieries  were  Itroujjht 
to  the  ver^f  of  starvatii>n.  'ITie  l'aj)al  interdict  prevailed 
until  1212,  and  John  took  advantap-  of  the  ^'cneral  distress 
hy  appropriating  ecclesiastical  hent-fices  and  funds  to  his 
own  use.  Finally  the  I'oih-  excommunicated  him,  and 
when  he  retaliatt-d  with  renewed  d«'fiances  and  plunderin>;s. 
Innocent  «leclared  his  deposition  from  the  throne.  Con- 
temporary accounts  of  the  calamitous  stru);j;le  assert  that  a 
prophecy  of  I'eter  of  Wakefield  played  utxui  tl  •  '  "n>r's  su- 
IKTstitions  and  ended  his  resistance.  However  that  may  have 
been,  it  suddenly  collapse<l,  and  on  May  1.'),  121.'i,  he  made  an 
ahjectand  total  surrender  in  which  he  ceded  the  kinplonisof 
Kn^land  and  Ireland  in  |M'r|Htuity  to  Innocent  and  his 
successors,  a^creeiu);  to  hold  them  in  fief  from  the  1'ojh'  at 
an  aimual  tribute  of  one  thousand  marks.  My  this  act 
John  endeavored  to  enlist  the  Holy  See  a;;ainst  the  haronaKe, 
which  was  restive  heneath  the  conse(juences  of  his  misrule. 
Iniu)eent  insisted  u|)on  a  ^uarant»'e  of  j;ood  heiiavior  from 
the  kin}!,  and  in  the  final  adjustment  many  significant 
♦•onstitutional  chan};es  were  eflVcted.  Hut  the  people  re- 
fused to  plac«'  their  confidence  in  a  monarch  who  had 
dissipated  every  resource  of  lo\alty  and  respect,  and  when 


14 


-nn^KK    UEUOIOVS   LK.u>KH,S   C,K   (,XFOUD 


the  baroMs  hrondit  liiin  t,,  l,.,,.  ..*  i> 

'■i"»  t.,  si«n  thcNjr      :^,;^'  "i'"^"-'^-;'-^^ 

PoiK-y    stiinulatol     Knda,ul-s     r  "    'nal.^amnt 

'•onti,„.encie.s  i„  tlu-  future     V       I  ,      ".    '"    "^'"''^    •^"^■'' 
I'-ls  acted  i„  the  pl.-^  o    the  '  T''  '''^'  P^^''''^^  -"' 

r*-.se„tative  <.ap...,.it' v  an,  t  ^''''t'  "'''^'  '''''  "'  '"  '» ^^'P' 
7';sent  a,Hl  allegiance.  The  l^.'.rl  "l  '"'""  "''''  *''^'''- 
"'''e  f..r  what  it  promise,!  r^tll  ""*''  '■""'^'"^"''  ^•'''"- 

F-rfornu-,1;   sin.xAh,  "wL  l'         ''"'/"•'•  "'"^*  '"*  '^^tualJv 

"'  t  H.  p,.liti,.al  life  an.l  hisfr  •    ^     /  „.  "'  ^''"^'"*" 

winch  neKle,t  „l,.s,.ur,.,|  |,„t  ,.,,,,11  /  ''**''"  "'^"^  ^  Rain 
years  „f  co^parativ.-u''  ,  ^^l  j^^^  ^^''^ •  After  ei.ht, 
Kreatest  ep.Khs.  the  hirte,  H?  ;--^'^'tence.  one  of  the 
I>ar.te.  St.  Fran,.is.S  .  ^  r  ^  ;"'"";' P  7''"''  '^'•"''"^-' 
its  vitalization  uruh-r  t  orlf  !'  ''  ^^' '««■•''. "itne.s.sed 
ful  a.s  John  ,.a,s  pcrfidil.us '  '"^^".'""-^  -  ki".'  a.s  faith- 

'■"to  the  principles  of  hi.' J^JiZT"  ""''"'''''^''''''^ 
'""ny  an,l  ju.sti,-e  wluVh  we-  tt.V '"'":"':""*''  *^"'  ^^^- 
,,Therei.n,.fJ.,,,J;,:;;^,^^-^^^^  . 

I'apal  .supreina,v  in  EnL-lin,     .7  ,    ^'""^'immation  of 

-nmHl  as  a  provin  e  ,     t'h"  ;o^t.,  I"'"'"'"  ^^'"«  '"""^"-V 

-ithir.  the  Chureh  ^t^Sr^'','^''' ^^^T'  Reform 
trollcl  I,y  the  (-uria  JT,  rV  '"  '""*^'  **'  '*  ^''^  '""- 
t"  ".ake  the  best  of '  s.^"!'""?-  '"'  "^  "'^  ^'-'"-l^- 
»Hi"K  recon,.il,..|.  T^" ',  "l  '^  "*'  "'^  ^"'"'  ^"'^  f^'" 
t"..  ha,l  been  lar.eK  .1 .,  *«  "'"  ^^'"^'^  '-Stephen  Lan,,- 
suxeraintx-.     TIu- ^ ml  r"    '"'f  "  ""  '"^'"*'""  "^  ''^Pal 

i"«  the  ba,.kset  ,  u     t      f    '    '' '^'"""  '  "'"'  ""t-ith.stan,l- 

:'"p-..io..cy  rcL^,  ;;;';";  7^''  --'•'^-  '-luc-t,  in. 

''"t   also   in   the  ,nore   ,  Ir  ';"'^''  '"   •^^'™'"''   "rt'^irs 

liation.  '   ''•■'■'""^'   '^'"J   '•elwous  life  of   the 


1: 


JOHN    \\"C'LIKF^: 


15 


III 

It  was  a  tribute  to  the  uiir-uestioned  heroism  and  pic- 
turcsqiieness  of  Hecket's  Ijf-  iIm.  -itpheii  Laiij;ton  should 
have  been  proud  to  rev  on  him  uiu).  •  the  fathers  of 
EnfjHsh  Ubcrty.  Both  A  !,I  i^hcps  re>  sited  forei};n  in- 
tervention, and  when  M.  t,u>v  Paris  sought  to  make 
Lanjiton  a  national  saint  he  based  iii  bioj^raphy  on  the 
model  of  Thomas,  maintaining;  tiiat  the  two  were  representa- 
tives of  the  kinjidoin  of  Kiifjland.  Lanj;ton's  importanee 
is  further  shown  by  the  fact  that  he  was  tiie  coimectinf; 
link  between  Heeket  and  Edmund  Rich  and  Robert  Grosse- 
teste.  Rich  was  far  removed,  however,  in  the  mildness 
and  simplicity  of  his  temper  from  the  haujihty  and  im- 
perious Recket.  Tiie  Saint  of  Abinjidon  was  better  fitted 
for  the  cloister  than  for  the  archicpiscopal  throne,  and, 
while  liis  writinjjs  were  full  of  spiritual  insij;ht  and  charm, 
he  was  incapable  of  a(i  urate  estimate  or  \  igorous  action  in 
reference  to  men  and  atfairs.  Althoufjh  as  Archbishop  he 
was  unable  to  arrest  the  laxity  and  intrigue  of  the  day,  the 
atl'ection  of  his  intimate  friends  led  to  his  canonization 
within  seven  years  from  his  death.' 

Robert  (Irosseteste,  ("hancellor-  of  Oxford  University, 
and  afterwards  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  ecjualed  Becket  in  firmness 
and  surpassed  lim  in  wisdom,  llis  vast  diocese  included 
the  present  sees  of  Lincoln,  IVterborouj;h,  Oxford,  and  part 
of  Ely,  and  his  administration  affords  an  outstanding  proof 
of  human  capacity,  not  only  with  respect  to  the  conduct 
of  the  business  of  his  bishopric  but  also  to  its  manifold  re- 
lati(ms  with  the  Roman  ("uria  and  the  Church  at  large. 
Wyclifl'e,  chary  of  his  praise,  gave  it  to  Grosseteste  without 

'  \V.  H.  Hiittoii:   "TIk'  Kiijjlish  Saints";    p.  L'Citi. 

'The  reader  should  not  identify  tiie  university  ehanoellDrship  of  th:»t 
period  with  tlie  olliee  of  the  siinie  iiiiine  at  i!,e  present  time.  As  Hishop  of 
Lincoln  in  which  diocese  Oxforil  was.  (iro.-seteste  was  i>f  course  the  eccle- 
siastical head  of  the  I'liiversity  ;  the  title  of  '  ( 'ha-icellor'  would  not  be  giveu 
to  him,  however,  but  to  his  reijreseututive  at  (Jxford. 


Hi 


It) 


TIIKKK    in;iJ(il<)IS    KNADKHS    OK    OXFOKD 


ii, 


!l. 


V) 


Hi 
t 


stint.     The  vcrsitility  of  liis  pfts  iiiid  tin-  cxtt'iit  of  their 
cxercisf  made  liini  tlic  most  alert  and  universal  intellif;enee 
in  Britain.     Ainoni;  many  appellations  applied  to  liiin  which 
indicated   the  admiration   and   love  of  his    contemporaries 
were    "The    Lord    Robert,"    "  Hohert    of    Lincoln,"    "Lin- 
eolniensis,"    "St.    Hohert,"   an<l    "that  ureat  clerk  (Irosse- 
teste."     Uo^er  Macon  averred  he  was  the  only  man  livinj,' 
wlio  was  in  possession  of  ,ili  sciences,  and  hacl  his  warninj; 
oeen  heeded,  the  liiiversity  niif;iit  have  heen  diverted  from 
its  profitless  plowinj;  of  the    >an(ls    of    later  Scholasticism. 
He  coinposcil   l-Vcncli  verse,  was  well  informed  in  law  and 
medicine,  and  wrote  with  authority  u[)on  a  wide  ranj;e  of 
sn<)ject>.     His    knowlcd^'e    of    llchrew    has    been    disputed; 
hut  tiie  translations  from  liis  (Jreek  manuscripts  made  by 
John  of  lia^iuiistoke  and  Nicholas  tiie  (ireek  are  not  (pie.s- 
tioned.   and    >how    that    (;r(i>seteste   was   proficient    in    this 
lan<;naj;e.     None  could  deny  hi-  larjie  and  varied  learning, 
his   surpa-sinj:    intellectual    capacities,    his   consecration    to 
duty,  or  his  inunen>e  working;  powers.     These  endowments 
and  attainments  were  evinced  in  hi^  >ui)r(niacy  as  a  bishop,  a 
thet)lof;ian.   and    a  i)reacher.     lie   strove   to   harmonize  the 
respective  tinths  of  natural  and  rev    ded  realities,  and  urfjed 
his  pupils  and  clerj;y  to  >tudy  physical  science  in  addition 
to    the    sacred    literatures    in    their   oritiiu'd    tonjiues.     The 
vibrant  cner<ric-  lie  inii)arted  thrilled  his  diocese  and  were 
felt   throughout    the  land.      Mut   the  crowninj;  proof  of  his 
superiority    was   the   fact   that    his   intellectual   and    moral 
growth  continued  to  the  last.     Kvery  year  found  him  more 
necessary  to  Chnrcli  and  State  than  before.     .So  deserved 
was  his  reputation  for  determininf;  the  essence  of  vexed  ques- 
tions that  those  who  were  divided  on  many  other  matters 
were  a  unit  in  their  reliance  upon  his  arbitration.     For  his 
exposition  and  defense  of  \mh\w  rights,  for  his  fearless  pro- 
tests against  foreign  tyrannies,  whether  temporal  or  clerical, 
for  his   disinterested    patriotism,   he   was   venerated   by   his 
countrymen.     His  occasional  indiscretions,  which  were  due 


I 


JOHN    WYCLIKKK 


17 


3 


3 


to  (U'focts  ..f  tfmjHT;  ;u"nt  and  incurre.l  imntt-d  r.-hukt', 
were  not  sntticinitly  j;rave  to  mar  l.i>  work  or  hunt  lus  a.  apta- 
l.ilitv  an.l  nsffnlni'ss ;  an.l  an  acciuaintancc  witl.  Ins  acln.-vi- 
mt-nts  is  indispensahli-  for  tl.osf  who  xvonl.l  un.lorstan.l  tl.e 
relictions  .IcvolopnuM.t  of  i.is  a-i-  in  tlu-  .iiri-ction  ot  tm-dom 
an<i  of  si'lf-control. 

I'reviouslv  to  l-MT.  (Iross.-tcstf  liad  citluT  tavoml  or 
suhinittHl  to  tlu-  iHrl,.sia>ti.al  -lainis  for  wl.i.h  lU-.kft 
died  This  policv  <ann..t  l.e  ritrhtly  jnd-cd  by  thox-  tor 
whom  the  IL.ly  See  is  a  >tandin-  .•on.p.racy  ajjamst  the 
liherties  of  mankin.l  or  l.y  those  for  uhom  it  is  always  and 
everywhere  an  infallihle  or-ani/ation  for  th.-  regeneration 
and  "moral  eontrol  of  tlie  world.  An  nnprejndiee.l  .ritieism 
reeo>;iiize   ev.Mi    more    <learly    than    tlu-    plenitude    ot 


wi 


partisan  eni.liti..n  that  the  weitiht  of  te>tim..ny  is  af^ainst 
these   evt.eine   opinions.     Uonu-'>   authority,    although    tar 
from  perfect  or  dc-siral.ie  in  ev,-ry  caM-.  was  not  actuated 
solelv  l.v  selfish  motives,  nor  was  it  always  immu'al  to  tl.e 
w'lfareof  medieval  soeiet;  .     Mr.   Kro.leri.-  Ilarrix.n  s  tri  .- 
„te  to  Innocent   HI    is  api.lical.h-   to  other    I'ontiils:       Uis 
eiKhteen   vears  of  rule  from    It'.is  to    IJKl  were  ..ne  lonj: 
etVort    for  tlu-   moment   Micce»ful,   and    m    part   deservmi,' 
su.ress.  to  enforce  on  the  kin-s  and    pcoplo  of   Kun.pe  a 
hi^lher   morality,   resi)e-t    tor   the   si.iritnal    nn^su.n   ot    tlie 
Chun-h,  an.l  a  sense  of  their  common  civih/.ation.     >>»' l^j''' 
that  he  is  a  truly  iHvM  man  with  a  nohl.-  cau^e.    '      1  he 
I'apacv's  better    >i.le    will    ai)pear    a-ain    m    these    pa^'es ; 
nevertheless,    when    the   supremacy    it    claime.l    came    into 
conflict  with  the  spirit  of  awak.-ned  nationalism,  it  encoun- 
tered   an    oi)positioii    so    formidal.le    that    it    was    driven 
to  the  devious  courses   of  an   intri-uinK  diplomacy   which 
it    has    since    pursued.     Without    .lehatinj;     whether    Ilil- 
del.rand   or  Wv.litVe  was  correct   ii,   his  interpretation    ot 
the   Divine   preseiue    in    human  atVair>,  we    may   af;ree   to 
so  nmch   a^   thi> ;    that    where  ahsolnti-m   o(ue  reigned   it 

1  ■    riu-  .M.MniTii;  Ml  lliMoiA  ■■  ;    !■.  1-"'" 


/    I 


[H  • 


M" 


f,, 


I 


t1 


IS 


TIIHKE    JiKLRilOlS    LKADKHS   OF   OXFOFiD 


}/ 


!    • 


reipns  „,.  l„n,.,r.  a„,l  that  tlu'  ,U-rvutralhntum  of  its  f„      .^ 
POW0T.JS  tl...  p..s„,   result  of  a„  ext.,..!.!  a.ul  arduous 

Who.,  i..  l->.-,0  tiK.  Ooun  a„.l  tl.o  Papa,,-  a,ai,.  ..oop.ratH 
f..r  the  sul,,„,.,t.ou  of  tl.r  Ku^^lisl,  ..Kt^jv.  (Jro  sotrste 
c<.,..l..,„„...     tlu.  alliau...  au.l  .v..  ..ont..„,plat..,l   J^ 

.>MV      lut     .,s   lov.  for  tlu.  Chunh    pr.vail.-.l.   a.,?!     J 
ooutiiiuwl   Ills  labors    n  cxtinnti.Hr  .,.>„  i        """  .'"^ 

n-fonns       ![;     I        1.  •;|'n>..t'iiK   alMlM's  and    proiiiotiiiLr 

^h.Kk     t    the.,    sustauu.,!.    a.i.i    1,..    ..pn.ly    .lenou..cr,l    the 

^:;;s,^j;r'""'^^  "'''■'• '"■'••'•">^ '^- -•'•pt«i  to  def^ 

■  V    '  *  '"r  •■""'l>"'^"'  aKa.ust  the  I-:nip,.ror.     It  was  this 
.>..t.fl  who  .le,na.,.le,]  of  (Jrossc.t.Me  a    .rei.en.l  at  I  in, 

a^     lu.    sharp    !■  p.stle.   ,s    a    valual.le    .loe.unent    for    the 
>     .Iv  o    the  ten.  e„..v  of  A„,liea„isn.  at  this  period.' 

•hn    ajostohea     eo,„„.a,uls   with    filial    affec-tiou   au.l    ivith 
all  .K■^ot.oM  and  revereuee,  l,„t  to  those  tliiu.s  whiVh  are 
«;PP..-1   to  apostolieal   ..o„„„a„ds.    I    i,.    „,/,,,    ,,' 
•"•"•"•    ••     n.y    parent,    an,    also    opposed.     Hv    apostoli  d 
.......naiKls   are    nu-ant    those    wlii<.h    are   a^reeal.I     t      the 

toaeh.u,s  of  tlu-  Apostles  aud  of  Chri.t  Himself,  the  Lord 

.s  spe,  dh  .orne  ui  the  eeelesiastical  hierarehv  \n  the  I'ope 
li.e  letter  ahove  uieutioue.l  is  uot  eousouaut  with'apostoli eal 
-.-t.t.v,  l.,.t  utterly  at  variau..  a.id  diseor.i  lit  I"' 
.....ueut  was  .o  enraged  by  this  hold  uupreeedeuted  .eusure 
^ o  n  ..ru.  whou.  he  regarded  as  a  re.ie.a.le,  that  his  Canliua  I 
'""'  .'''»!-lty  ».  dissua.liu,  hi,„  ,>..,„  p,,„,,,„..i>„  exc.o 
"H.n.eatio„  upniMhe  uiost  l...|oved  l.ishop  iu  1-:,^^^^^^^^^^ 
"H'mhers    of    the    Curia,    uotwithstaudiu,    the    Let    thai 

of  the  ,l,:,!Lut        """  '"  '■'"*''""'•  ^'  '"'■'  «'"'•''  ^'"-^«  tl».  whole  drift 


I 


.lOIlN    WYCMKFK 


19 


Grosseti'ste  had  blamed  tliein  for  the  oppressions  he  de- 
nounced, participated  in  the  veneration  freely  oH'ered  to  the 
a^ed  and  saintly  churchnian  of  spotless  inte};rity,  and 
besou^'ht  Innocent  to  let  him  end  in  peace.  His  enemies 
had  not  lonj;  to  wait;  on  October  !>,  12.>',,  he  passed  to  a 
well-earned  rest.  "The  Church,"  said  the  dying  man, 
"will  not  be  free  from  her  Kjjyptian  bondage  excei)t  at  the 
point  of  the  blood-stained  sword."  His  valiant  affirmation 
of  the  apostolic  rule  against  those  who  sought  to  degrade 
it  had  ended  in  a  seeming  failure  which  saddened  his  last 
hours.  Actually  it  played  a  considerabk  part  in  destroying 
the  evil  she  mourned,  and  went  far  to  fulfill  Adam  Marsh's 
enthusiastic  prediction  that  "it  should,  by  the  aid  of  God, 
benefit  all  ages  to  come." 

The  ideas  and  aims  of  (Irosseteste  were  further  developed 
in  the  writings  of  his  frien<l  Henry  de  Bracton,  the  well- 
known  autiiority  on  English  common  law,  who  in  hi.s  cele- 
brated work  carefully  defined  the  always  sensitive  relations 
between  ("hurch  anil  State.  He  treated  clerical  claims  to 
patronage  as  an  unwarrantable  interference  destructive  of 
the  regularity  and  etpiity  of  the  civil  power  and  administra- 
tion. Decidedly  national  in  temper  and  reasonable  in  state- 
ment, Hracton's  argument  was  an  additional  example  of 
the  nature  of  the  opposition  to  I'apal  supremacy. 

Another  frien<l  and  junior  contemporary  of  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln  was  Simon  de  Montfort,  Karl  of  Leicester,  the 
leading  member  of  the  oligarchic  party  during  the  Barons' 
War.  He  was  regarded  by  the  populace'  as  a  saint  and 
martyr  and  was  eulogizi-il  as  such  by  tlie  Scottish  dironicler 
of  Melrose,  whose  comparison  between  him  and  Simon 
Peter,  the  prince  of  the  Apostles,  was  j)rol)ably  traceable 
to  the  monk's  animosity  against  Kdward  I,  for  whose 
career  that  of  de  .Montfort  served  as  a  heroical  but  tragic 
prelude.  His  father,  Simon  de  Montfort  the  elder,  was 
noted  for  a  crusade  of  persecution  against  tlie  Albigenses. 

'Sue  WriKlit's  "  I'uliticul  Sougn  of  the  .Midillo  \gvs"  in  llio  Hulls  .Series. 


I'd 


Till{i;i 


ll 


I 


'••'•■    ''i;i-l(il()rs    KKADKKS    .,K    ,,XK.>K|) 


'''I"'  son.  iM.ni  in  I'n.M.r  „|,„„t  fl^.  v,.,r  I  '(Ml     „         i    . 
til.'  cirMun.  „(  I.,.i,,.st,T  in   I'-        ■'';>""•  :'"''*"<-<'«'<l  t.. 

'"   .1   M)riir  wliiili   (•niiiinciiii.ratcd   his   vi,.t..r..     * 
'l<'liv,T,Tottlu(|,„r,|,   mhI  fl  '""-I  «i.>  l.ailcl  as  tlu- 

tl-  ki,„-s  r..>,.op'     ;;;;•:  '""'^*"'-  "'  '-'•  " -"K^-  -I'il.' 

tril...U-.  I,„t  tlH.  tut  tint  S  r  .    '   '""  "  '"""t'-^"" 

iii.rcaviii.r    ,.L.„„,,,t    ,f  '"^T    i.Kkcd     a     ((.iistaiitlv 

". ,  <>':■  H,::.  ;:,r',,';;;,;;;,7.  r,;; '  ■■' -« ■'.«-» 


"'•■"•'■I.e.!   a-ainst    hi,,,    „itl 


IK     llfSlff, 

voiiiif;   |„.ir   a|,.)arci,t, 


"    "'^''   ■"'  '"-'".v   whi.h  Si,„„„  i,i,„„.]f 


1^ 


JOHN    UVrUKKK 


!1 


had  traint'il  in  niiiitiiry  >trat('>;y.  "My  tin-  arm  of  St. 
.laiiK'sI"  lu'  I'XcIaiincd,  with  a  tniich  of  soldierly  pride,  as 
he  watched  the  advance  of  the  royalist  forces  at  H\t'>hain 
on  Aiijjust  4,  IlTi,"),  "they  come  on  in  wise  fashion,  hut  it  was 
from  me  they  learned  it.  "  He  knew  that  the  die  was  cast 
aj;ainst  him,  and,  commendiiu:  his  soul  to  (lod,  fell  fi^'htii.); 
to  the  last. 

The  prince  who  redeemed  the  credit  xu  his  House  in  war 
renounced  its  faNorite  policy  when  the  \  ictory  was  won. 
Kdward  I  discarded  for  the  time  heinj;  the  l'a|)al  alliance 
upcn  which  his  i'lanta;;enet  predecessors  had  relied,  and 
showed  himself  cai)al)le  of  a|)propriatin^r  the  l»est  ideas  of 
his  a^e.  Far  from  aholishinj;  representative  assemblies, 
he  saw  in  them  the  means  of  securing  tlu'  stability  of  his 
throne  and  the  welfare  of  his  >uhject>.  These  objects  he 
made  his  own,  despite  the  emharrassmeiits  of  his  position, 
the  exij;encies  of  national  defense,  and  the  nt'c«'ssary  re- 
construction which  followed  tlie  distractions  of  civil  con- 
flict, lie  cho.se  in  word  and  deed  to  l)e  kin^  of  Kn;;land, 
and  the  choice  hroujiht  him  honor  and  renown.  His  wise 
and  zealous  maintenance  of  law  and  order  have  earned  for 
him  the  title  of  the  Justinian  of  the  Hmpire.  He  made 
that  resistance  to  I'apal  interference  with  the  alVairs  of  the 
realm  which  was  a  salient  ;haracteristic  of  its  l)e^t  statesmen 
and  rulers.  In  \'2\)~  he  pive  his  confirmation  to  the  Charter, 
which  had  previously  been  nej;lected  or  openly  violated, 
and  its  artich-s  were  applied  with  a  firmnes-  t  '  faith  and 
an  intellectual  lucidity  that  <'aused  his  rei^ni  to  become  a 
fountain  of  justice  and  e((uity,  the  currents  of  w  liich  continue 
their  course  into  the  jmsent  a<;e.  Honiface  \\\l  tried  out 
the  issue  when  in  IJlKi  he  pronuil^ated  the  bull  "(lericis 
Laieos"  '  which  forbade  the  taxation  of  ecclesiastics  except 
by  consent  of  the  Holy  See.  Kdward  promptly  retaliated 
by  ilepriviuf;  the  clerjiy  of  legal  protection,  ari;uin<:  that  if 


'  l'<ir  a  traiislatiDiL  iif  llii'  Hull  "  ( 'Icrici-i  l.airns, 
"Solcct  Historical  l)cniiiMi'iit«  of  till-  Miilillf  Auc^. 


'<•  !■;.   !'.   HrMclcrsiiii  ; 
iKohii)  |.|).  i:{_'-i:i4. 


if' 


' 


jl, 


'>) 


THHKK  KKLKHois  LKADKHS  OK  OXFORD 


tlu'.v  would  not  coiitrihiitc  to  tli..  .,..*:  .    i         i 

"■"'    '^-"ifa.v   tnnporarilv   ..n.-'  „  *'"^  '""'";".'' 

nnthoritv  in  tl.o  <••  s,.  ..(•■|.'l         ,      "  ,       •     ^"  '"''''^'■'•t   '''s 

..r  s,,,„,;,„,.  zr:,  ,;;:t.:,'i  ,:'';■.■;;,''■ "";  • r 

:?Sf.::::=fi;:£'~; 

ance  every  leptnnate  ii.tm-st.      I„  this  lu-  sn.  ..  1  . 

I  .It  MU(   >>.     IK.  rr,|u,r.l  arxl  incorporated  Wales-   .„ul 

initiative.     He  w'.s  :    ';;':,    ^'  '''^'■' ^''''^^"'''l '^uppl'ed  the 

none  in  the  I.  n«    'r .    'f  "  ^7'  '"""'•'•*'''  -^'""'l  to 

!..">,  arrax  ot  those  who  have  occupied  thethrone 


JOHN-    WYCLrFKK 


23 


of  the  kiiifidom  whrn-in  lie  stiriiiilatt-d  the  (h'velopinent 
of  that  ((mstitiitioiial  pnxeihire  and  resfwct  for  precedent 
V,  hich  iiave  made  modern  Uritain  an  example  of  practical 
wisdom  and  justice  ainon;;  the  jiovernments  of  mankind. 

The  disastrous  career  of  Kdward  II  terminated  in  the 
trajiedy  of  liis  assassination  at  Berkeley  Castle  on  September 
21,  i:>27.  liis  name  is  a>so<iated  with  famine,  conspiracy, 
tunnilt,  civil  war,  and  the  decisive  Kn>;li->h  defeat  at  Haimock- 
hurn.  Vet  the  Court  which  surrounded  this  weak,  self- 
willed  and  fri\  (tlons  monarch  was  a  solidly  organized  insti- 
tutiim,  with  traditions  and  resources  of  fjovernment  that 
enabled  it  to  <lirect  every  department  of  the  State.  Pro- 
fessor Tout  ar>;nes  with  coiisiderahle  force  against  the 
popular  estimate  of  the  second  Kdwanl's  reifjn,  and  attrib- 
utes its  earlier  faihire  to  the  j)olicy  of  his  father,  which 
was  on  till-  verp'  of  collapse  at  the  monu-nt  of  the  j;reat 
kinjj's  death.'  The  reasons  for  this  statement  are  ^iven  in 
some  detail  an<l  afford  room  for  thouj^ht.  On  the  surface, 
however,  there  was  a  wide  and  s(/berinf;  contrast  between 
the  two  reigns  which  indicated  the  change  then  sweeping 
over  Christendom. 


(  ? 


IV 

The  new  spirit  arose  with  the  transfer  of  the  Papal 
seat  to  Avignon  in  1  U)(),  an  event  which  destroyed  the 
absolutism  Hildebrami  had  elaborated,  and  which  his 
successors,  with  the  possible  exception  of  Innocent  III, 
were  unable  to  maintain.  The  thirteenth  century  had 
been  one  of  buoyancy,  enthusiasm,  and  promise,  rich 
in  the  number  and  character  of  its  leaders,  and  nu-m- 
orable  for  their  achievements  in  religion,  philosophy, 
statesmanship,  and  art.  Pulsating  with  conscious  mental 
vigor,  animated  by  high  hopes  and  rejoicing  in  widened 
horizons  of  experience  and   reflection,   rulers  and   peoples 

'  "The  Place  of  the  Ueigii  of  Edward  I J  iii  English  History." 


-'4 


TMUKK    UEUi.Uns    LEMniHs   UF  oXKoUD 


\\ 


I 
.1 


I'o'nrsi.un  wit  of  th..  Kr.  '  '""'"I"'"'  >^|H'e«l.  an.l 

"  I  ■<     ><<iu>ii)n    jii  ,|    (■(iiiiiiiiinir"iti.,l    It  .    :  1    • 

• t„  ,i„ I,  lif,.  „r   .   ;,  ,1 "  ';■'',,"'",  "r";™- 

;;::■:;:;;:;;-:'; -•';"""'™!:>..::'.:s;i;:3 

'"»"-ii':";K  ^r  • 

"  >^-u.r.!  was  .la.„.t.-.|  hy  th..  uu-\.nrh.U   mr.JiJZ^r 

S.-:ir:i;;:,:"l,:[;su;-r.::-'iS 

'    ?■;"•■''  '"  """  t'H'  -'-v..  ..f  a  now  .lav  prov.,1  to   . 

"HMt.  .1  .,   t..  .■xha.i.>ti,m  rather  thai.  ,lesi^.„.  John  \Vv,lifr.> 
jua.-    a...nj.,...rnout...,,H.ti......     Tlu- .xacl  ^i  a^^ 

>.  a  locahty  .rl,.|,rat,.,|  l.y  Sir  Walt.r  S,.,.tt  i„  "  IJokeb     " 
an.l  .n  another  pas..,,  he  says.  -Moh,.  WyelinV,  Hereticus, 

"'•!.!lly  Ik';;',!';,!",!;,::"'^'"^-  '='-"  -  "-  'l-te  „l  ,1,0  Hla,-k  Ueuth.  though  it 


i  ^ 


.I()||\    \V\<  l.ll'IK 


or. 

Mil 


WHS  horn  at  lpr«'s\v«l,  a  ^iiiall  v  illa^'c  a  ^immI  miK-  ctfT  from 
Hiilinuiiit.  "  NcitluT  is  tlurc  now,  nor  was  tlu-re  i-vt-r,  a 
phuf  of  this  iiaint'  in  thf  vi(  iiiit.\  of  I{i(  hiiioiitl.  The  mis- 
tukf  is  (hie  to  a  iiiis|)rint  in  litanies  priiitfd  cop^  of  Lchiiio  s 
"  ItiiuTary."  Ij»swill,  tlic  iiio<hrn  iiamt'  for  Ipri'swcl,  is  at 
least  ten  iiiih's  from  Kiiliiiioiiil,  whirii  cvfii  I^chiiid  could 
hardly  call  a  piod  mile,  and  the  reference  >liows  that  he  is 
recordinj;  pissip.  There  can  he  little  donlit  that  \Vy<litl'e 
was  horn  at  \V_\  ciitfe-on-'ree>,  wliere  the  tomh  of  his  father 
UoRor,  tile  Itird  of  the  manor,  may  >till  lie  M-en.  The  year 
l'.V2{)  is  the  earliest  that  can  lie  as>i;;ncd  for  his  hirtli,'  and 
he  may  lia\e  heeii  born  se\eral  xcars  later.  The  ditl'erenees 
iiee<l  not  detain  the  narrative:  it  is  at  least  certain  that  he 
was  a  Yorkshireinan,  and  jMissessed  the  iiid»'jH'ndenc»'  and 
resolution  native  to  that  pro\  ince.  Little  enough  is  known 
coneerninn  the  earlier  sta>;es  of  his  career  and  some  of  its 
suhseciuent  jM-ritMls  are  e(iiiall.\  \ai;ue.  The  last  dt'cade  of 
his  life  is,  howe\fr,  an  e\ce|)tion,  for  there  his  processes  as 
a  thinker  and  a  theolo^'ian  can  he  traced  with  much  j;reater 
certainty  than  elsewhere,  owinn  to  the  (harness  and  full- 
ness of  our  knowledge  of  the  closinj;  phase.  Hut  centuries 
of  nenleet  have  ohscured  the  extiTiial  conditions  of  the  man 
to  whom  Shirley  refers  as  a  "dim  imaj;e  which  Kioks  <lown 
like  the  jxirtrait  <if  the  first  of  a  loii^:  line  of  kinj^s,  without 
IH-rsonality  or  expression."  -' 

It  is  jHrhaps  useless  to  s|)eciilate  upon  the  circiims^auces 
and  influences  which  shaped  his  fonnative  period,  although 
they  are  not  without  considerahle  interest.  He  received 
the  impressions  of  a  static  conimunit\ ,  whose  lonely  exist- 
ence was  luxiisturhed  hy  the  echoes  of  the  city's  crowded 
ways.  This  seclusion  had  comi>ensations :  it  afVorded  him 
opi>ortuiiity   for  the  cultivation  of  sterling;  worth,  candor, 

'  .Aci'ordiiii;  to  the  irriuMlnuicil  tree  in  \Vliit:ikcr".H  "  Rirhmoml.-ihirc." 
Ri)(?i'r  WyclilTc  anil  liis  wifi-  ( 'atluTinc  wcri'  inarrii'il  in  li'.l'.l.  The  cldi'st 
son  would  soi'in  to  li:ivr  Im'cii  William  WvilifTc,  who.  liouvvcr.  was  dead 
l*fo-c  IMV2. 

»H.  H.  Workiiiaii;    ■Tlu'  Dawn  of  tlif  Ilcforination"  ;    Vol.  1,  p.  107. 


1    -i 


i' 


if  I 


m 


'2i\ 


THIIKK   UKMcilol  s  LKADKKS  (ty  OXFOHi) 


I 

'I! 


! 


§ 


!""'  '"♦.'■«"*^  '   ^  '^•"'-  ">''•••'.  ">  a  r an.  iH-ttor  iiinil.-at,.! 

1"  rii>ti..  rrfnals  than  in  tl„.  ....t.-rs  of  |H.|,„latioi,.     The 

v.-n,„a..rv  of  tlu-  ^  orkshin-  Ui,li„jj.  hav.  n-tain..|  ,„„|,.r  „|| 
i-UmKi's  .rrta.n  r.-frrslmi^  c,„alitirs.  a  u.mhII.v  lu-ritaK.-  from 
tlinr  ,.roK.,utors.     Tluir  provincial  .s,h.,..I,.  .....tuv.  Mvr- 

nimat.of..   |,ru.l.-M.r,  ,o.,r«K...  aiul   hatrnl  of  anv'form  of 
injxstur  stamp  th,.,,,  a.  a  p.-nliar  ,H.op|,..  whoso  tn.nxT 
has    nrvrr    I,.-,..,    .hs,H,s<.|    to    i,„h.M..    thr    arropuur    of 
rast...     A  iMtt.r  pa>s,H,rt  t..  thrir  favor  is  that  assertive  in- 
.l.v..|..ahs,„  uh,.  ,  however  .lista.t.-ful  to  the  ass,„„ptio„s 
"    «  h.  rary  rank,  a.ul  even  injurious  i„  some  .lire'tions. 
ha>  hitherto  iKen  the  sustaimnj;  source  of  .le.noera<.v.      I„ 
US  res,H.c-t    \  vehtfe  was  a  true  son  of  the  North,  hhu'.t  an.l 
<  sive  m  a.l,lress.  with  an  u.uonseious  ecpmiity  of  manner, 
.  .1  a  ,.ass,onate  sv.npathy  for  the  unfortunate  an.l  the  ,KM,r 
eh   u.sp,r..l   Ins  . hMoncertiuK  fierceness  of  attack  u,k,„ 
heir  oppressors.     That   such  an  a.lv.„.ate  of  the  cause  of 
he  proletariat  u,  rehnion  an.l  in  ,K,liti,.s  shoul.l  have  emerLn.l 

mvi  i     i  '"•""""1  ''"'r  r^  "  ^'''^••'  "'  ^'"'^  •»*■""<'  •■»•'*•  •''"! 
•nu.Mtcl.  IS  anutlur  of  the  many  vouchers  for  the  ,leht  the 

race  owes  the  wilderness  and  its  children. 

Living  as  he  did  in  so  retinal  a  s,)ot.  Wycliffe'.s  early 
mstrucfon  was  ,,rohahly  nreivc.l  fron.  the  vUIa,^.  priest, 
who   usually  dwelt   with   th.-   manorial   fau.ilv   and   taught 

K^-<..ner>.  The  conj,.tnre  that  he  was  ..huatc.l  at  a 
monastery  sch.H.l  ..am.ot  be  subst^u.tiatc.l.  sincv  these  in- 
stitutions   no  lon^rer  openc.l   their  <I.M,rs  to  outsi,lers.      Nor 

man T!i.  ""•V"'"';.''''':  *''"^  '"'  ""'"'«'-'  "'•^'  "^  the  .schools 
ma.tana.  by  colIcK,ate  churches,  by  chantry  pric^sts,  and 
b\  the  jcuil.ls  of  various  towns. 

I^rhler  sunnises  that  la-  was  fourteen  or  jK.ssiblv  si.vteen 
M-ars  old    when   he  entere.1   Oxford.     That  son.e 'stu.lents 

l.tzralph.    Archi>,>hop  of   Armagh,    who  com,,lained   that 
many  youths  un.ler  fourteen  years  of  a,e  were  a  1  read v  con 


JOHN  WYC'LIFFK 


27 


sidrrtMl  mcnilHTs  of  tlu"  riiivtr>it\ .  Ih-cIiIit's  rcckotiitiK  U 
hiiM'd  iiiMiri  i;{'_'(t  iiH  tlu-  year  of  Wycliirf's  hirth,  \n\t  if 
this  dati'  is  tiM>  t-arly,  tin-  siiniiisc-  is  iiirornct.  It  is  liij;lily 
prohahic  tliat  In-  was  still  "ii  his  iioiiap-  wluii  In-  lu-pui 
tlu'  soutliwani  jounu-y  aloii>{  tin-  ^^'at  i{oiiiaM  road  which 
rail  from  the  Clu-viot  IlilU  to  I^otulon  ami  passttl  nnir  his 
fatlMT'>  house.  He  Would  not  lack  ftir  <oin|)any  :  studrnts, 
likf  other  wayfan-rs,  handed  tojjether  for  mutual  protection 
aKuiiist  lusty  rogues  and  outlaws  who  infestj'd  the  lii>;h- 
ways,  and  sometimes  roblied  them  of  their  ha^jta^e  and 
entrance  fees  even  in  si^ht  of  their  ilestinatioii.  After 
ten  days  of  nu)re  or  less  exeiteiiieiit  and  jH-ril,  the  intrenched 
and  walled  fourteenth  century  town,  with  its  encircling;  waters 
and  massi\c  Norman  ke»p  ( ommandiiij;  the  a|)pri>iiclics 
which  coiivergetl  froui  the  surrounding  hills,  would  he  in  full 
view. 


Oxford  i  situated  iit  -lie  middle  readies  of  the  Thames 
valley,  and  shar.,  th  it  iuiiutifu!  pa-tornl  sceiierx  for  which 
the  fixer  i^  noted  from  Richmond  to  >«inniiin  nri<lf;e.  The 
ruins  .f  its  ancient  fortifvations  remain  to  show  its 
fonuer  stniteirical  iiiiiM»rtaiicc,  and  its  vcnerahle  appear- 
ai!  r  is  enhanced  liy  the  >;ray  fronts  of  halls  and  collej;es 
alorm  "the  Hi^h"  and  other  thoroujilifares.  Hut  the 
thriving  horounh  did  not  ai  as  many  have  imagined,  in 
rt'spoiiM-  to  the  iieed>  of  the  colle^'es ;  the  place  enjoye<l 
five  liundrtnl  years  of  municipal  and  commercial  prominence 
before  any  student  was  eeu  in  its  streets.  Kciually  erroneous 
are  the  popular  belief-  repirding  tlu-  be^'inniups  of  th. 
rtiiversity  itself.  That  the  great  seat  of  learning  had  ii 
inceptiin  in  one  of  the  scIumiIs  established  by  Alfred  tlv 
Circat  is  only  another  of  the  many  legends  which  historical 
res«>areh  has  comjH'lltHl  antiquaries  to  r«'lin(|uish.  Nor 
did  the  famr  of  churches  and  monasteries  of  Oxford  have 
anything  to  do  with  the  origin  of  those  schools  which  were 


n 


.*S         IIIUKK    lilll.KllOls    LKADKUs    ((K   ( ).\I'()|{I) 


'i: 


jiftcnvitnls  mcrficd  into  tlif  I'liivcrsitv .  It  is  far  iiciircr 
tlic  truth  to  say  tliat  Oxford's  <  .as^i(•al  rc|)u-.'.ioi  was  an 
oiitiinmtli  of  it>  i;('o;;ra]>lii(al  location  and  civic  :treiij:tli. 
Tiic  earliest  mention  on  wliicli  reliance  can  l)e  placed  refers 
totlie  uinnKTv  fonnde<l  hy  St.  i'Videswidc  dnrinj;  the  turmoil 
of  the  ciuhtii  century,  ou  or  near  the  site  of  tlie  present 
(^ithedral.  A  liricf  entry  in  ;lie  An;:lo-Sa\on  ("hronicie  for 
!t|-J  states  tiiat  Kdward  the  KIder,  the  •uccessor  of  Alfred, 
"took  |)o>session  of  London  and  Oxenford  a!id  of  all  tlie  lands 
w  iiicli  owed  ol)cdien<-c  thereto."  '  The  ravaues  of  the  Danish 
wars  afterwards  fell  heavily  upon  the  town,  wlii(  ii  was  then 
a  frontier  fortress  of  the  Mercian  an<l  WcM  Saxon  kinploms, 
and  involved  it  in  l)urnini;  and  destruction.  The  citizens 
rci)aired  the  mix-hief  wroui^ht  i)y  fire  and  si<-j;e  in  !»7!»,  l(KI2, 
and  lOUl,  anrl  >ul)se(|iieiitly  Oxford  continued  to  he  a 
theater  of  national  i:at!ierini;>. 

The  security  of  tcinire  wiiich  followed  the  Norman  Cou- 
<|Me>t  promoted  the  town's  ^'rowtli  and  trade,  and  trans- 
fnnne(|  the  arcliitecture  of  it-.  relii;ions  and  i)ul)lic  huildinns. 
In  I(l74  the  colle;,'iate  clnin  h  of  St.  ("ieor};e  arose  within  the 
recently  constructed  castle;  the  priory,  afterwards  called 
the  .\l)hey  of  Austin  <'anon.s,  was  erecte<l  in  the  next  cen- 
tury; the  jialarc  of  Beaumont  was  liuilt  l.y  Henry  I  in  the 
fields  to  the  north.  The  church  of  the  monastiTy  of  St. 
Krideswidc.  which  at  the  lleformation  hecaine  the  Cathedral 
c  the  new  diocc~c,  dati-~  from  the  same  jM-ricMl,  and  these 
ind  ■fatipd>le  nia-ous  aNo  rcno\ated  the  existing;  parish 
<-hurches.  One  of  the  wealtlu<'st  of  Knclish  .Jewries  was 
planted  in  tlic  ccnfiT  of  the  town  :  a  settlement  having'  its 
own  religion.  Iani;uaj;c,  dress,  laws,  customs,  and  commerce, 
independent  of  local  authorities  and  >ul)ject  only  to  the 
Oown.  There  is  no  donlit  that  Oxford's  jr,.i„.ral  proj;ress 
was  promoted  liy  the  financial  loans  of  »vealtliy  Ilehrews, 
and  tiiat  iudirc<tly  its  acailemic  iTiethods  felt  the  influence 
of  their  ralihis.  wliosc  \ohnnes  aided  the  first  researches  of 

'  Jainc-  r:iil,i-i      •    I'll,.  I'.iih-  lli-ioiv  .,f  I  i\f.,r',|"  ;   p.  1  ni. 


JOHN    WVCLIKFI': 


2\) 


physic-ill  scientists  and  j;avf  Wufur  Baioii  access  to  the  oMer 
world  of  material  in(iiiir\ .' 

While  it  is  not  onr  immediate  purpose  to  deal  at  len>;th 
with  the  interesting  details  of  those  e<lncational   facilities 
which  were  maiidy   due   to   the    faith    and    eneriry   of   the 
thirteenth    and    fourteenth    centuries,  they    should    receive 
the    consideration    commensurate    with    their    imi)ortance. 
Their  larger  l)ef;imunf;s    iiave   hecn    ascribed    to  a    mifira- 
ticm  of  scholars  from   Paris,   which   took   ])lace  aliont  the 
year  IKl'.K     Such  mifirations  were  jnTfectly  congruous  with 
the  nomadic  hahits  of  medieval  clerks,  and  those  imiversities 
in  Xorthern  Euroix-  which  did  not  ari>e  in  connection  with 
some  prominent   collegiate  church  were  the  olTsprin;;  of  a 
similar  exodus.     The  history  of  the  rni\fr>ity  of  Paris  has 
emergtHl   from   the  uncritical   jieriod   wlien   the   foundation 
was  attrihuted  to  diaries  the  (Jreat,  ahhou^'h  his  fame  as 
a  founder  is  still  celel)ratc<l  thousrhout  the  collc.ires  of  hVance 
by   an    annual    festival    named    in    his   honor.''     What    the 
EmiK-ror  actually  did  was  to  establish  colle^'iate  scho()ls  in 
the  numicipalities  of  his  dominions,'  and  of  the>e  the  "Kcole 
du  Parvis  Notre  Dann-"  eventually  won  a  hinh  reputation, 
surpassing    its    rival>    at    ("hartres    and    I.aoii.     With    the 
wideninj;  of  intellectual  activity  the  curriculmn  hroadennl. 
while  the  growth  of  culture  and  tiic  decay  of  monastici>m 
increastnl  the  demand   for  new  sources  of  education  and  for 
the   hetter    training    of    the    secular   lU-rgy.     During    tlie 
eleventh  century  learneil  theologians  taught  there  and  also 
at  the  adjacent  school  of  St.  (Jent-vieve,  among  them  being 
Gerbert,   afterward    Poim'   S\lve>ter   II,    Fulbert.    and    He- 
ranger  of  Tours,     lint  to  the  l)riHiant   ])upil  of  William  of 
Champeaux,   .Vbailard,   and   to   the   >ucce>sors   he   trained, 

'.lohn  Rirliard  Cn-cn:    "Oxfor.l  Siii.lic^":    p.  0. 

•This  new  loni  (if  tin-  wmH,!  w;i-  n<,[  a  |-n'ii.litM:iii,  l.ul  :i  (>criniii..  :i  lai't 
which  the  i'V.Mirh  u|ipcllalini,  ( ■h:irliMii:i::ii.'  has  fiv,|u,>iill,v  oh^nircl. 

«  H."  d.'-iun.'.l  In  h.-.v  r.,ll,.i:iMt.-  rhurrh.'s  ill  which  ilic  ciciry  shmiM  hvc 
tdCfth.T  with  iiiif  of  their  iiiiMilicr,  callcl  the  ( ■haii.vllnr.  ropmisilih-  lor 
education,     llciici-  aro-c  tlic  title  .f  ('h.uiccllor  in  ;n.iv.T.-uic>. 


if 


n 


M 


ir; 


'  ■?, 


30 


THREE    KEMOIOUS    LEADERS    OF   OXFORD 


iiK'ii   who   "jtrew  stTiUjiht   in   tlio  strength   of  his  spirit," 
Paris  o\yc<i  her  aciuh-niic  prestige,  and  the  natural  evt)hition 
of  the  rniversit\  out  of  her  sehools.     Ahaihird,  at  that  time 
a  layman,  commenced  a  school  of  his  own  near  to  that  of 
St.  C.enevieve,  where  not  less  than  five  thousand  scholars 
are  said  to  have  attended   his  lectures.'     His  youth  and 
genius,  illimital)Ie  lore,  and  audacity  were  assets  of  a  magnetic 
p<Tsonality  which  drew  to  itself  many  future  dignitaries  of 
the  Church,  including  a  pontiff,  nineteen  cardinals,  and  fifty 
bishops ;  within  a  short  period  after  his  death  the  University 
became  the  Mecca  of  Kuropean  students,  scholars,  and  doc- 
tors.'   Again,  Abailard's  prominence  fifty  years  after  the 
death  of  Anselm,  the  greatest  of  monastic  teachers,  showed 
that  higher  tnlucation  had  escaped  the  control  of  the  regular 
clergy,  and   that  their  essential   selfishness  was  gradually 
driving   it   to  seek  other  Iea<lcrs.     Moreover,   the  conflict 
between  the  claims  of  reason  and  those  of  faith,  which  was 
always  imminent,  was  precipitated  by  the  fears  of  the  clergy 
that  in  his  efforts  to  unify  all  knowledge  Abailard  would 
minimize  the  imi)ortance  of  theology.     He  finally  became 
a  Benedictine  in  II  H>,  but  this  did  not  save  him  from  con- 
demnation by  the  Church. 

In  1201  Philip  Augustus,  who  reigned  from  1180  to  122.% 
and  was  in  many  respects  the  reincarnation  of  the  far-seeing 
spirit  ()f  Charles  the  C.reat,  gave  the  schools  exemption  from 
civil  jurisdiction.  Masters  and  scholars  were  i)laced  under 
the  control  of  ecclesiastical  tribunals.  In  1212,  when  the 
Chancellor,  as  the  Bishop's  rei)resentative,  sought  to  compel 
all  masters  to  take  an  oath  of  obedience  to  himself,  Iiuiocent 
III  inter|)ose(l,  defeated  the  scheme  of  the  local  hierarchy 
to  control  the  sehools.  and  forbade  the  oath.     During  the 

'  .Mcvlicval  stiitistif-  s1,.,m1,|  Ih-  riToivcl  warily.  Wy.lifTo.  f„r  iiistanrc. 
Hfatos  that  then-  ^^■,•^r  thirty  tl„„„at,.l  s.-holar-  at  Oxfor.l,  uli,.„  its  popula- 
tioii  was  iiiit  <|iiiti>  fiv..  |hi)ii<ai](l, 

•The  Islo  do  (•;<(•  urviT  was  il,,.  ...ntor  of  Inivcrsitv  lif.. :  St.  fleiicvic-ve 
was  the  p  are  whore  tho  Inivorsity  Krow,  ai.,1  U-v.wio  the  rival  of  the  Sohool 
ol  -Nulro  Daiiio. 


JOHN   WYCLIKFE 


31 


carniv.il  of  1229  ii  riot  arose  in  a  Paris  tavern,  like  unto 
the  quarrel  wliicii  l)e>;aii  tlie  "(Ireat  Slaughter"  at  Oxford 
in  l'.\'A,  wliereupon  tlie  police  of  the  provost  savagely  sup- 
pressed the  stiulents,  leaving  several  of  their  number  dead. 
The  masters  demanded  redress  for  tiie  outrage,  and,  failing 
to  obtain  it,  dissolved  the  I'niversity  for  six  years  and  re- 
tired with  their  scholars  to  Oxford,  Cambridge,  and  Angers. 
Eventually  (Iregory  IX  exercised  his  good  offices,  the  court 
and  the  municipal  authorities  promptly  assisttnl  him,  and 
in  12:U  the  I'niversity  returned  to  Paris,  confirmed  in  its 
former  charter  and  with  the  grant  «)f  additional  exemjnions. 
It  was  finally  incorjH)rated  by  St.  I^uis,  who  succeeded  to 
the  throne  in  122(). 

Among  the  distinguished  foreigners  who  visited  or  studietl 
at  Paris  were  .John  of  Salisbury,  St.  Thomas  Acpiinas,  Roger 
Bacon,  Raymond  Lully,  and  Stephen  Ljington.  Dante  is 
reputed  to  have  attended  lectures  there  in  1:509,  Petrarch 
boasted  of  the  crown  the  I'niversity  proffered  him,  and,  as 
liilc  as  the  sixteenth  century,  Tasso  came  to  the  schools  of 
France,  Normandy,  Picardy,  an<l  (lermany,  situated  in  the 
Rue  du  Fouarre.  .\t  the  center  of  tlie  city  stocul  then,  as 
it  now  stands,  Xotre  Dame,  the  spiritual  citadel  of  the 
capital.  The  Sainte  (Miapelle,  inclosed  by  the  ancient  palace 
of  the  kings,  arose  hard  l)y,  the  most  definite,  delicate,  and 
graceful  momnnent  of  Krcncli  (iothic  architecture.  The  area 
extending  from  the  south  bank  of  tiie  Seine  up  Mont  St. 
Genevieve  had  been  surrendered  to  the  expanding  schools. 
From  the  hill  of  the  patron  saint  its  buildings,  gardens, 
and  ojx'n  spaces  sloju'd  steeply  down  past  the  ruined  resi- 
dence of  the  Roman  emjH-rors  to  the  river  and  the  Isle  de  la 
Cite. 

.\t  the  height  of  its  power  and  throughout  the  Middle 
Ages,  this  place  was  the  Mitellectual  center  of  Christendom, 
as  Rome  was  its  political  and  eccli-siastical  nu'tro]M)lis.  The 
I'niversity  practically  dictated  the  theology  of  the  Church, 
and  even  the  Popes  were  careful  about  controversy  with 


J! 


^i 


32        TIIIIKK    HKLKilOls   LKADKKS  OF  OXKOIID 


fl 


"I 

k 


tlif  doctors  of   Paris  ('onctTiiiiif;  (lo);iiiatic  statt'inents.     It 

was  mor*'  complt-tfly  cusmopolitaii  than  any  nKKlorn  seat 

of  li'arniiif;;    scholars   from   all    parts   of   Kurope   rcpaircl 

tlicrc   for   instruction    from   its  ^iftcil   teachers,   and,   since 

tliose  wlio  came  could,  and  (hiuhtless  <lid,  return  in  jjreat 

mnnliers  to  tluir  res]>cctive  homes,  there  is  no  difficulty  in 

acceptinj;  the  statement  that  a   hmU    of  Hn^Hsli  students 

left  Taris  and  huilt  uj)  a  stiidiuni  at  Oxford  when  recalled 

hy  their  monarch,   Henry   II,  during;  his  dispute  with  the 

French  kin;;.     Apdn,  the  im'sence  in  Oxfonl  of  such  teachers 

as   the   le^'ist   \'acarius,  Thihaut  d'KstamiM's,  and    Koiu-rt 

I'ullein,   which    anticipated   tiiis    incursion,   liad    served    Lo 

raise  the  city's  reputation.     Vacarius   visited  it  during  the 

rei^n  of  Stephen:    he  lectured  there  in  114!),  and  prei)ared 

a  compendium  in  nine  hooks  of  the  Digest  an<l  ('(mIc  of 

Justinian.     When    tlie    king    ordered    him    to   desist    from 

lecturing,  Vacarius  is  said  t)  have  l)een  rewanled  with  u 

prel)end  in  the  church  of  se<'ular  canons  at  Soutiiwell.' 

Beyond  the  events  narrated,  tlie  tinises  which  operated 
to  make  tlie  already  anci<'nt  town  the  seat  of  the  second 
university  in  Kurope  are  far  from  obvious.  For  some  time 
after  the  exodus  from  Paris  it  was  naturally  overshadowed 
hy  that  seat  of  learning  of  which  it  was  the  offspring,  and 
which  played  a  nohic  part  in  European  civilization.  V»'t 
forty  years  after  the  time  of  Vacarius,  Oxford's  scholastic 
standing  was  well  won;  at  t\u-  oix-ning  of  the  thirteenth 
century  she  was  supreme  in  her  own  country,  and  had  also 
ohtained  the  recognition  of  older  continental  foundations. 
The  meilicval  meaning  of  such  terms  as  university  and  col- 
lege should  not  he  confused  with  their  modern  connotation. 
The  Latin  word  iininr.'^ltos,  from  which  the  Knglish  deriva- 
tion comes,  originally  denoted  any  collective  Ixxly,  regarde<l 
as  such.     When  employed  in  a  strictly  educational  .sense  it 


'  Till'  iiiiiiio  of  \:i(:iriM-i  i|im-i  iint  appfiir  in  Lo  Novp's  "F.iHti."  tho  imlox 

"f  which  has  1 "xauiiticcl  liv  the  authiir  at   thi'  Uritish  Mu.-«Miiii.      Thi.x 

woulil  c  a^t  'iuulit  III,  tho  ijriforiiioiit  of  Vaiariu.-i  to  tho  prelKMiil. 


P  ' 

f  i 


JOHN    WY("L1FFK 


33 


Wiis  siipplcnu'iitoil  In  tiii  julditioiial  phriist',  tlu'  curri-nt  I'X- 
prt'ssioii  hciiin,  "  I'liiviTsitas  in:ij;istronim  ct  s(li()lariiini." 
Ill  liiti'  foiirtreiitli  crntiiry  usuav  tlu-  ttTin  \iiiivfr^it\  was 
<U'fiiu'<l  as  i»  ((Hiiiiuiiiity  of  tcaclu-rs  and  scliolars  whose 
c't)rj)()rati'  I'xistoiici'  liail  st'ciiri'il  tlic  consi'iit  and  api)r()val 
of  oitliiT  or  l>otli  civil  and  (•(•cU'siasticai  autiioritifs.  Tlic 
ttTin  .tt  11(1  i mil.  and  later  sfinliinn,  (jencruU',  dcnotinf;  a  t'cntcr 
of  instruction  open  to  all,  was  tlic  more  cu>toinary  flcsi^na- 
tioii  of  these  coniiimnitics.  The  stm  nn  ;;encralc  slowly 
cvolve<l  into  the  nni\tTsitas  at  such  well-known  places 
as  I'aris,  Holofjna,  and  Oxford,  and  in  the  case  of  the  two 
former  citii's  tin-  elian;;e  wa>  confirmed  liy  I'apal  hulls,  issued 
in  the  rci^n  of  Nicholas  1\'.  The  word  collcf^t'  was  simi)ly 
the  old  La'.;:i  rnUi'ijiinii.,  which  sij;nified  any  or<;anized  jruild, 
relijiious,  educational,  industrial,  or  ])olitical,  api)licd  in 
course  of  time  to  secular  priests  livinj;  in  common,  and  after- 
wards to  those  residen.es  at  Oxford  where  secular  students 
did  likewise. 

The  distinctive  features  of  the  Kiifilish  collep-  system 
are  found  in  the  final  form  of  the  Statutes  of  Merton  heariuf; 
the  date  Vl' \  and  the  seals  of  the  first  Hdward.  The  ori;;- 
in  '  "ode,  which  perpetuates  the  name  of  the  ecclesiastical 
s  .man,  Walter  de  Merton,  Chancellor  of  Hnirland,  was 
di  ..n  uj)  ten  ye.-irs  (>arlier,  in  Vl^W,  and  was  itself  the  result 
of  previ.ius  schemes  for  the  maintenance  of  indifrent  scholars 
at  Maltleii  in  Surrey.  The  generous  endowments  jiroxided 
l)y  Merton  were  employ«'l  for  the  l)enefit  of  twenty  stui;  's 
and  two  or  three  priests  for  whom  a  hall  was  to  he  set  a])art 
at  Oxfonl,  or  elsewhere,  if  such  a  lodj;ini;  was  |)rocural>lc 
at  a  more  flouri>hinj;  seat  of  learning.  This  de>i<:n  was 
afterwards  expanded,  rules  of  collej;iate  discipline  were 
enacted,  and  eventually  Oxford  Itecame  the  ])ermanent  home 
of  these  >tudents.  The  intellectual  freedom  of  the  c()llc;;e 
marked  a  dc|)arture  from  the  monastic  idea,  prc\ented  it 
from  lieinj;  a  nursery  for  the  adM"ate-~  of  l'a]»al  supremacy, 
and  enahled  it  to  train  a  >uccession  of  <;raduates  who  rendered 


i 


I 


ill 


k 


i>  1 


)\ 


34        THllEK   HKLKilOlS   LKADEliS  OF  OXFORD 

effi.'iont  service  t..  Church  and  State.     Tlu-so  nieasuros.  as 
iM.ld   III  thoir  iiiiK.vatiuM  as  they   wore  l),M.-fi,ial  and   far 
nachniK,  luHainc  the  scnrcv.  of  a  n..riiial  jx.hcv  of  adminis- 
tralii.n  under  wliuh  collejies  siiiMrseded  UK.nasteVies and  halls 
as  tlie  resi.h-nees  ,.f  students  and  strongholds  of  diseipline 
It    was  apparent    that  they  .•ould    not  realiz,-    sueli  aims 
without    huildiiiKs    which    should    l,e    a     nucleus    f„r    the 
aceuniiilation   of    the  !)est    traditions  of    the  i)ast    and  of 
ly    jnirposes    for    the    future.       In    this    undertakiiiR 
Merton  s  eflorts  were  seconded   l.y  the  foundation  of  New 
ollcfie  ,„  i:i7.>,  ,„„K.r  the  patronajr,.  „f  WilHam  ,|e  Wvke- 
ham,  Bishop  of  Wiiuhester.     The  last  of  the  ^reat  episcopal 
architects  ot  tlu-  Mi,|,||e  Aj;es.  Wykehani,  was  jH-rhaps  more 
renowned   tor    his  structures    than   for    his  statesmanship, 
lie    adorned  the    hare  Xorman    interior  of    his   cathedral 
with  the  l'eri,endicular  style,  and  the  school  he  established 
m  tiie  former  cajntal  city  shares  with   Eton  the  honor  of 
l)em^'  a  collej;e  in  the  true  sense  of  the  W(.r<l.      IJut  his  rank 
as  the  H-cond  foun.l.r  ,.f  the  eolK-fri.  system  is  determined 
l)y  the  firandeur   an.l   regularity  of  the  noble  quadrangle 
and  still   nobler  ch;,pel  whi.li  were  the  most  dignified  an.l 
l)eautitul  of  their   kind  Oxfor.l  had   vet   seen.      That  which 
Morton    had    acco,npli>lu.,l     in    the    statutory    regulations 
(.t  the  colli.^res,   Wykeham  furthered    by  their  architectural 
dmrutx-  and  domestic  comfort  as  compared  with  the  older 
hostels.' 

VI 

In  any  attempt  to  recall  the  Oxford  of  Saxon.  Xorman, 
and  atiT  eras,  the  modern  city  must  be  .lismissed  from  the 
nim.l.  1  here  was  little  in  the  Mutwar.l  aspect  of  its  humble 
genesis  and  slow  .l..velopm,.nt,  relar.led  by  violent  periods 
«'}  war,  not.  and  pestilence,  to  sUKu-st  those  mvstieal  en- 
(■hantment^  which  owe  much  t.,  the  liai.d  of  Time  The 
bewitching  vision,  steepc.l  i;,  sentiment.  ..f  jrracrful  towers, 

'  C;.  r.  Hrodri.  k  :    '  History  „f  ,1,,.  fnivcrsity  „f  ( .ifurd"  ;    pp.  .jj  ■);,. 


JOHN   WYCMKKK 


35 


quiet  cloisters,  etiilKmen-il  jjanleiis,  itiiiiieinorial  elms,  uiid 
lawns  of  living  >;reeii. 

"Where  a  thousand  f;riiy  stones  smile  and  sigh, 
A  thousand  rustling  trees," 

is  ven-  largely  the  growtli  of  later  days.  When  WyclifTe 
entered  the  place  he  plunged  into  a  bewilderin);  maze  of 
mean,  filthy  streets,  lined  with  dingy  hovels  and  crowded 
with  a  jostling,  brawling  throng  of  townsmen,  jjriests, 
scholars,  and  vagrants.  Within  the  houses  the  floors  and 
halls  were  strewn  with  riislu's,  beneath  which  aecunuilated 
refuse  decayed,  the  windows  were  miglazed,  the  chamhi-rs 
airless  and  pestiferous,  the  atmosphere  reeked  with  fotd 
odors.  Single  rooms  served  for  the  common  purposes  of 
cooking,  dining,  visiting,  and  sleeping.  Sanitation  was 
unknown,  and  freqr  .itly  dirt  was  regarded  as  a  sign  of 
sanctity.  Even  the  homes  of  the  better  classes  were  not 
exempt  from  these  conditions  ;  and  the  churches  and  ihurch- 
yards  were  indescribably  noisome.  Courts  and  lanes,  in 
which  darkness  i)revailed,  were  knee  deej)  with  feculent 
matter  and  ren<lcrc(l  dangerous  by  oinn  cesspools.  The 
recurring  jH'stilences  which  decimated  Hurope  can  be  luider- 
stocKl  when  it  is  remembered  that  tlu>s»-  barbarous  habits 
were  characteristic  of  continental  and  Knglish  towns.  The 
wonder  is,  not  that  so  many  died,  l)ut  rather  that  so  many 
escaptnl  death.  Vet,  notwithstanding  the  toleration  of  such 
evils,  there  was  in  Oxford,  as  in  many  other  nuinicii)alities 
of  the  later  Middle  Ages,  a  sense  of  civic  virtue  and  of  social 
obligation  which  eventually  estai)lished  better  conditions. 
In  the  meantinu',  religious  duty,  though  vaguely  con- 
ceived in  many  practical  directions,  was  the  source  of 
genuine  corporate  life  and  unity.  Master  and  man,  teacher 
and  student,  trader  and  artisan,  knew  how  to  think  and  act 
together  because  they  were  held  in  the  bonds  of  a  catholic 
faith.  The  thirteenth  century  was  distinguished  by  tlie 
founding  of  Tniversity,  lialliol,  and   Mertou  Colleges ;    the 


.'  i 


■  i 


1 

'J 


M\        THKKK    UKI.KilOl  S   LK.VDKKS   OF  OXKOItU 

foiirtcfiitli,  l>y  tliat  of  Orifl,  KxHt-r,  (Queens,  iiiid  .\<\» 
<'i>lli"p-s.  Tims  OxfonTs  liit;li  water  tiiark  in  arcliitectiirc 
and  otIuT  material  provisions  for  education  was  jittaiiu'd  in 
an  era  when  tin-  country  at  lar^c  was  devastated  l)y  i)laj;iies 
and  in>nrre(ti()ns. 

We   have  already   noted    the   dissindlarity   hetweeii    the 
intellif;ent  energy  and  desi);n  of  the  twelftli  and  thirteenth 
centuries    and     tlie    comparative    confusion    and     barren- 
ness of  the  ajre  of  Wyclilfe.     I'or  nearly  two  hundred  years 
the  uniform  depn^sion  of  tlie  Middle  A>;cs  had  lieen  broken 
liy  an  interval,   ilie  enthusiasms  and  aspirations  of  which 
were  too  jieneroiis  to   l)e  [Hrinanent.     The  revidsioi\  which 
followed  s[)ranj,'  from  an  utter  weariness  of  soul,  accentuat«'d 
l»y  hitter  tlisappointmcnts.  painful  uncertainties,  and  wide- 
spread distrust.     Men  were  not  willfully  disohedieiit ;    they 
were  sorely  spent,  and  unable  any  lontrer  to  realize  the  vision 
which   di>apiH-  s   when    it    is   ncjilected.     Such   enervation 
is  still  the  human  fate  :    the  cycles  of  day  and  ni>;ht  [HTsist, 
and  thoufih  the  one  is  not  so  welcome,  it  is  as  natural  as  the 
other.     Vet   we  jire  not   at   lilierty  to  suppose  that  every 
piod    cause   was   wrecked    or   forsaken.     Tlie   edifices   and 
endowments  which  are  now  not  only  a  national  but  practi- 
cally a  w.)rld-wid»"  hcritaj;e  were,  in  part,  the  prinlucts  of 
the   period    many    lii>torians  have   unsp:irinj;ly   denounced. 
They    cannot    be   dissociated    from    their   aiitliors,    who,    if 
the  biiildiniis  arc  a  jjuide,  well  knew  that  they  were  deal- 
in;:   with   the   fortunes   of  an   enduring'   institution.     They 
may  have  foreseen  that  these  structures  wouM  lielj)  to  con- 
vey  to   future  ;:enerati()ns  the  chan^'es,   the  confiicts,   the 
quotionin^s.  the  reactions,  and   the  advances  which  have 
been  experienced  in  the  past  six  hundred  years.     The  sway 
of  such  iHTsonalitio  as  Walter  de  Mertoii  and  William  of 
Wykeham    is  still   felt    within  Oxford's    i)rccincts,   and   all 
its  founders  share  in  the  honor,  the  ^dadness,  the  suH'erinK, 
and  the  achievement  o''  the  life  of  scholarsliij).     Some  deeds 
these  men  did  are  bes.   buried   with  their  bones,  but  their 


JOHN    WVCLIFH'K 


37 


toil  for  tlic  fir>t  rnivtrsity  of  tin-  Kiinlish-sptnikinj;  nations 
shoulil  hr  fjratcfuily  nim'inlH'nil,  not  only  tluTc,  hut  also 
litTi-  in  the  N«'\v  World,  of  wliosr  mission  they  wcr*'  tlu- 
foriTuniuTs.  It  was  vvrou>;lit  wlu'ii  imnu-nsc  ini|M'(linicnts 
had  to  Ih-  overcome,  in  an  a>;e  of  si)arse  and  ignorant  jkij)- 
ulatioiis  cursed  hy  |K)verty  and  suiK-rstition.  And  the 
greatest  kI'T.n  of  these  men  and  of  their  l>uildin;;s  was  not 
in  stone  nor  pild,  Imt  in  that  essential  spirituality,  that 
stern  watchfulness,  that  nu-ritorious  sympathy,  that  approval 
or  condemnation,  of  which  John  Uiiskin  s|H'aks,  and  which 
is  felt,  if  anywhere,  in  such  places  as  Oxford,  whose  walls 
have  so  \^m^r  \k>vi\  "washed  by  the  passinj;  waves  of 
humanity." 

VII 

The  absence  of  jMTsonal  refereiars  in  the  writings  of 
Wyclilfe  compels  us  to  ^lean  our  ideas  of  his  university  life 
from  the  academic  conditions  of  the  period.  As  a  nortiiern 
man  he  would  probably  Knd  his  way  to  Halliol  Collejje,  and 
tlu'  belief  lon^  |ii.|,l  that  in  l:!.')()  he  was  a  fellow  of  Merton, 
tofietlier  with  the  fact  that  his  name  was  enrolled  amonj;  the 
commoners  of  Queen>,  is  best  explained  by  the  contem- 
|>orary  |)resence  in  Oxford  of  two  other  John  Wxcliffes 
with  whom  he  has  been  confused.  Workman  states  that  one 
of  these  was  an  almonry  boy  at  Queens;'  the  second  a 
portionist  at  Mertoii.- 

Balliol  was  founded  between  the  years  12(1:?  and  12(i,S' 
by  John  Balliol  of  Barnard  Castle,  Yorkshire,  the  father  of 
the  nobleman  to  whom  Edward  I  assijjned  the  crown  of 
Scotland  and  whom  he  afterwards  deposed  in  li><L'.  The 
northern  and  southern  "nations,"  wliose  feud  disturlicd 
for  centuries  the  order  of  the  place,  h:id  their  headfiuarters 

'  .MiiiiiTirv  l)<>v  :  one  who  in  return  for  cliniieiitury  iiistnutioii  sorved  in 
the  rh:ipcl  ilioir  or  rciiiliTiMl  other  mt\  iee.t.  lie  w:i.-<  neiienlly  loilteil  \iri(ler 
the  care  of  the  Ahiiorier. 

'  I'ortioiii^t  :    A  sehohir  sup|iorteil  on  the  foiituhitioti  of  the  collem' 

'The  most    :i>siired  (l:ite  is  sliortly   hefore  ,(iiiie,   IJIili.   when   a    hull  was 


n 


ih 


38        TIlItKK    UKLKMOIJS    LKADKUS   OK   OXKOKD 


•I 


at  nalliiil  ami  McrtDii  n's|H'(ti\«Iv,  ami  the  lines  were  so 
sharply  drawn  that  Inxn  ].VM  .uiwanl  MtTtoii  n-fiiscd  to 
admit  nortlurn  scholars  into  its  society.  Minor  rividries 
inflatned  the  ((iiarn-l,  which  iiilluenced  acadt-mic  action, 
and  es|M'cially  the  election  of  the  Chancellor,  whose  assist- 
ants were  known  as  tin-  northern  and  sonthern  proctors. 
The  freipicnt  H^:ht>  and. riotous  hehavior  of  these  and  other 
factions  led  in  1J7I  to  the  adoption  of  the  "Concordia," 
the  precise  articles  of  which  read  like  those  of  a  treaty  of 
ix-ace  between  lioMile  |X)wers. rather  than  an  act  (>f  uni- 
versity legislation.  Mnt  they  did  not  prevent  tin-  distiirl)- 
ances  against  which  they  wen-  enacted  :  a  fierce  uproar 
in  12!>7  and  a  brutal  affray  of  the  student  clans  in  ViU) 
evider.c«'d  the  militant  lawlessness  of  such  >;roui)s.  The 
"Cireat  .*s|au>;hter"  of  i:i.')l,  althouj;h  a  town  and  gown  affair, 
gave  further  proof  of  the  anarcliical  conditions  which  then 
prevailed.  The  scholars  were  herded  t(»j;ether  in  miserable 
chambers  and  lecture  rooms,  wlieri-  care  and  comfort  were 
unknown ;  collejre  governance  was  still  very  i)rimitive, 
while  that  of  the  I'niversity  had  scarcely  bc);un.  The 
frank  and  intimate  relations  wliicii  afterw.irds  became  the 
cohesive  bond  of  varying  classes  were  then  all  but  imjM)ssible 
by  reason  of  the  existinj:  provincialism  and  jMnerty.  The 
latter  state  oblij;ed  medieval  students  to  obtain  manual 
labor  for  supi>()rt,  and  at  intervals  they  even  took  to  the  road 
and  beji^ed  for  a  i)ittancc. 

The  resources  of  knou  iedfre  were  few  ai'<l  unsatisfactory ; 
museums  and  libraries  which  are  now  at  the  service  of  all 
were  then  beyond  ti\e  wildest  dreams.  Wycliffe  and  his 
fell()W  clerks  i)ored  over  the  faded  characters  of  worn  maiui- 
scri|)ts  in  chambers  dei)rived  of  the  sun  by  day,  and  in  a 
nightly  darkness  faintly  relieved  by  flickering;  oil  lamps  or 
rushlijihts.     The  nature  .ind   extent  of  their  learning  were 

foiiiidi'd  for  sixtoi'ii  |«H)r  simli-nts.  .(,,lm  Itallinl  liii-il  two  ypars  lator.  in 
12iiH.  ami  tlu-  Cnllivf  rcccivcl  its  uri'atc^l  :ii.|  from  his  wife,  UervorKiUii, 
whose  Ijcnefactioud  date  from  l.'M,  when  lialliol  fimt  obtained  u  houao  of 
it.s  own. 


JOHN   WYt'LIFKK 


39 


amnzinf;;  their  in«lustr>'  probably  siirpasscnl  that  of  any 
lnt«T  scholars.  They  livi-d  a  st-paratwi  lift',  avoiditif;  the 
onlinary  r«'»'ri'atioiis  ami  athletic  fxercises  of  the  youth  of 
K:!kIii'><I<  \^'th  no  outdoor  jmrsiiits  or  pastimes  to  vary 
their  anliioiis  stiiily.  Vet  its  tasks  were  ilhtiniiiateil  hy  the 
ainhitioiis  which  hurneil  within  them  the  more  steadily  Iw- 
caiise  of  their  privations.  Uej{ardless  tif  the  <lin  and  revelry 
of  drimken  roysterers  in  alley  and  lane,  tin-  best  of  these 
men  pl(Mlded  steadily  onward,  inemori/inK  or  copying  mys- 
terious phraseologies  which  are  now  meaninKle.ss,  but  were 
then  accejjted  and  conned  as  primary  truths  that  mif;ht  at 
any  turn  in  their  pursuit  reveal  a  universal  law  prevailing 
throughout  the  whole  realm  of  knowledge.  Those  who  were 
able  to  endure  the  necessary  exertion  of  Ixnly  and  mind 
km*w  the  joy  of  the  stronn;  their  intellectual  capacities 
became  firm  and  flexible,  and.  hail  these  students  enjoyed 
the  advantages  of  the  scientific  metluMi,  they  would  have 
rlemonstratcd  their  superiority  over  successors  who  have 
been  more  fortunate  in  their  environment,  but  not  in  native 
or  acquired  ability.  It  ill  becomes  their  heirs  to  mock  at 
efforts  which,  though  wron>;ly  directed,  still  merit  the 
recoj;niti<m  due  to  heroic  striving. 

That  men  of  the  type  of  Wyclitfe  sometimes  fell  short 
of  the  >;oal  is  nothing  apiinst  them,  since  they  accom- 
plished all  that  was  possible  in  the  nature  of  their  studies. 
Meanwhile,  their  failure  cleared  the  >;r«)und  for  the  New 
lA'ariiin^  of  the  next  century.  Only  as  the  theories  they 
painfully  evolved  jmned  worthless,  could  thinkers  be 
made  to  understand  that  their  system  was  insufficient, 
and  thus  be  set  free  to  pursue  more  correct  methfuls  of 
investigation.  In  this  way  they  helped  to  transfer  the 
center  of  gravity  from  deduction  to  induction,  fnmi  tloj;- 
matic  assumption  to  cxi)criinent  and  hypothesis.  The 
progress  of  human  alTairs  owes  something:  to  these  indirect 
courses,  in  wiiicii  steadfast  men  strove  to  attain  truth 
by  means   of   concepiions   which,  althou>;h   in   themselves 


f 


i 

■I 

! 

! 

I 


4(»        TIIUKK    UKMdIOl  S    LKADKUS  OK   OXKOUI) 

iiiilHTffct,    »-\i'iitiiiill\     |Hiiiit«-i|    til   till-   siili>tuii«-<'  111    ulii«'h 
tliry  wvTv  tlif  >liiiilu\\. 

AKuiii.    tin-   iiiiimiMic   iiiHinrii«'   at    Oxfonl    hail    st«'ailily 
waiuil  from  the  ila\s  of  Kdniiiinl  Kit  li.  wIh.m-  Iwaiitifnl  nnil 
pathetic  story  lu-inhti'tiftl  the  nlijrioiis  toiiiiM-r  of  thf  I'ni- 
v(T?iity,  l)iit  roiilil    not   rherk   it>   uridcmy   towani  secular 
iii(|uiry.     Where  iiioiia^ticisin  a>  a  spiritual  ideal  siparateil 
itself  from  the  world,  it  fri-tinentlv  fell  a  victim  to  the  forc«-s 
it  despised;    on  the  other  hand,  where  it  linked  itself  with 
other  systems  it  invariahly  lost  its  professed  sanctity.     In 
its  purest  form  it  was  averse  to  unhampered  development  in 
any  direction  save  that  of  mystical  s|Hculation,  and  when 
the  laity  asserted  their  title  to  a  place  in  the  sun  of  assured 
knowledge,  the  uradual  emancipation  of  leamiiiK'  from  cleri- 
cal tutelage  was   unavoidahle.      'i'hese  causes   explain    the 
fact   that    th«'  monastic  i-olleces   are   of   minor   importance 
in  the  history  of   eilucation.     The    monks  never    heartily 
apj)lied    themselves   to   the   scholastic   philosophy,   and   the 
older  monastic  orders  did   not   priMhicc  a  single  first  class 
theolofjian  from  St.   Hemard'^  time  in  the  closing;  days  of 
medievalism.     The  comin);  of  the  friiir>  pive  a  fresh  im|H-tus 
to  clericalism,  and  the  Henedictines  '  strove  to  remedy  the 
shortcomings    of    their    order    h\     sending;    a    lew    selected 
members  to   the   liiiversity.-     Hut  they  could  not  repress 
the  laical  spirit  in  the  colle|;es  which  upow  apace  under  the 
sheltering;  protection  of  the  Church.     Their  general  contact 
w  ith  an  amjjler  existence  l>e>;an  in  t  lie  latter  half  of  the  twelfth 
century,  and  ilespite  the  contraction  of  the  syilalnis  in  the 
direction  of  dialectics,  before  the  close  of  Kdward  the  Third's 

'  A^  II  niiittor  of  (:iit  tli.n-  ncvrr  w:i.-.  .my  iiii>ria.'<tii'  lontrol  of  <Mlii«;itj()r, 

nt   llxford,  nor  diil  tin-  iiiuii:i>lcrics  inaki-  :iii\    ,.|Ii,ii   i i   up  fouiitliitioii.s 

th.Tc  until  thi-  Chaplcr  (MMicral  of  ihc  Himm.Ii  tiiii-,  ln-lil  al   Aliiiiudon  in 

l:;s!».  wliirli  iiiipoMMl  M  levy  of  two  p.-i in  tin-  mark  to  l>iiil<l  a  hall.      In 

K'st  tcnipiirary  provision  was  niailf  for  tlir  McniMlirtino  in  ,i  limix'  on  Siock- 
wrll  Sticrt.     The  first  rral  nioiiastii-  .ollci;..  was  ( iloiufsicr  Hall,  l.iiilt  in  lliltl. 

»  Th.-s,.  were  few  imlii-.l.  (  jirisi  (  liMK-h  monastery  at  Cantcrlinry  rarely 
fouii.l  that  it  roiiM  niaiiitaiii  njorc  ilian  four  stndi'tits  at  Christ  ('hiirch, 
tijford.  and  the  total  niimlxr  of  monl,-   ii  the  Iniversity  was  always  small! 


IM 


.MIMN    WVCMhKK 


41 


rpi^n  they  hnd  Im-cihik  ^iiffiiiiiitlv  natioiiitl  to  justih 
(Icscriptidii  i»f  tiM'ir  >«'<nliir  aitii^  ( initftincil  in  tin-  thinl  Ihhik 
of  (tower's  "\(i\  Clamiiiitis."  'I'lii>  tcmjMT  fost»T»(l  coii- 
("(■ptioiis  wliicli  (|iic>ti(>tif<l  thiiNC  ii('i'i'|)ti'(l  il(>Kiiui^  that  ha<l 
liitluTto  Im"*-!!  thf  stH|)l«'  tlicm<'>  nf  iiistnictioii.  Nor  can 
tluTf  !»»•  any  (l<inl>t  tliai  it  inllni-iircd  WyclitlV,  t\\v  U-nt  of 
whoM-  mind  harmonized  with  it>  autrcsMvcncHs. 

It  was  not  as  a  s«-nii-«'<'<  h-^iastical  <or|)oratioii,  Imt  as  u 
«rtit«T  of  rt'li^ioiis  vitality  .nnl  po^itivr  thinking  that  the 
Oxfonl  he  knew  contrilinteil  to  the  slia|)injj  of  cliaraeter 
hotli  in  men  and  in  the  tiine^.  It  had  Ixen  >aid  of  I'aris 
that  whatever  was  read  and  tan^lit  there  was  MM»ner  or 
later  read  and  taii>;ht  in  Oxford.  Unt,  with  the  rnptnre  of 
tlu-  once  close  intimacy  of  tln'  two  institutions,  this  Mib- 
servien<'y  hail  ceased,  and  the  younger  no  longer  >iione 
in  a  borrow eil  li^rht.  She  l)oa>ted  doctors  of  her  own, 
whose  ilarinj;  and  \t'r>atilit,\  outdistanced  tho>e  of  the  older 
and  more  conservative  Itody  at  I'aris. '  Wyclitfe's  rela- 
tions to  these  tiiinkers  and  the  subjects  they  discussed  can 
he  set  forth  later;  in»'anwhile  it  siiould  he  noted  that  some 
of  them  were  in  lat«'nt  opposition  to  the  orthodox  systems  of 
the  Middle  A^es.  Their  feudal  presumptions  depended  on 
the  se^rejiation  of  human  >;roups,  and  necessarily  de<reased 
when  arbitrary  distinctions  of  blood  and  birth  lost  ground. 
Their  alifjnments  had  hitherto  l)een  determined  by  the 
accidents  of  temporal  boundaries  and  by  the  paramountcy 
of  those  material  forces  which  are  j;enerally  reco^rnizeil  as 
subversive  of  the  social  order.  Against  this  condition  as  a 
whole  the  Kuropean  s(  hools  were  at  once  a  protest  and  to 
some  extent  a  remedy.  The  stmlents  who  fre(|uented  them 
were  known  as  the  "  nations."  ami  the  universities  earned 
tiie  credit  of  creatiiif;  jind  weldin^j  togetlu-r  the  most  liberal 
and  international  of  fraternities.  Notwithstandinj;  their 
internal   l)ickerinj;s   and   jealousies  they    shared   a   classical 

'  H.  HtLshduU  :  "  I  iiivorsitie.s  iif  Kuroiie  in  the  MiililU-  .Vkcs";  Vol.  II, 
pp.  Jl'J  oM. 


5 

m 


l\ 


'I 


42        THHKK    IfKLKllOUS    LKVDKKS  OF   OXFORD 

laiimiaRc  wliich,  liowcvcr  l)ati!y  ((nistrued  and  spoken,  was 
at  least  t'reeil  frinn  tlie  strife  of  variant  t(inj;ues.  Intellee- 
tual  kinslii|)s  throve  apace,  the  doctrines  of  celebrated 
masters  were  ditfiised  iu  widely  separated  eoininunities,  and 
leavened  the  fear  and  dislike  which  haci  rendered  every 
foreigner  suspect.' 

Chaucer's   familiar    lines    indicate    the   fjood    impression 
which  the  best  tj-pe  of  student  made  on  the  piH)ple  at  large: 

"  A  Clerk  tlicr  was  of  Oxonford  also, 

That  iin-to  lo;;ik  liiuldc  lonjrf  v-j;o. 

As  It-ne  was  his  liors  as  is  a  rake. 

And  lie  nas  nat  ri«lit  fat,  I  uniicrtake; 

Mnt  loked  (iiilwc,  and  thor-to  soIhtIn-. 

Ful  thrcdl>u.  was  his  overeat  coiirtepy; 

For  hf  had  pctcn  him  \<'t  no  iM-npfycc, 

Ne  was  so  worldly  for  to  have  offyce. 

For  hini  was  Icmt  have  at  his  Uiides  heed 

Twenty  hokes,  cla  I  in  hiak  or  re<>d, 

Of  Aristotle  and  his  philosophye, 

Than  rohes  riche,  or  fithele,  or  f;ay  saiitrye. 

Hut  al  lie  that  lie  was  a  philosophre, 

\'et  hadde  he  hut  litel  p>ld  in  eofre; 

Hut  al  that  he  nii>;ht  of  his  frtn-ndes  liente, 

On  liokes  and  on  lerninjje  he  it  spente, 

And  hisily  nun  for  the  soules  preye 

Of  hem  that  yaf  him  wlier-witli  to  sroleye. 

Of  stiKJie  t<M;k  he  nio-t  eim*  and  most  hede, 

N'()t,'ht  o  word  s])ak  he  more  than  wiis  tu><le, 

And  that  was  seyci  in  forme  and  n-verence, 

And  short  and  (piik,  and  f\d  of  hy  sentence. 

,S>unin>re  in  moral  \   rtu  «as  his  siHM'lie. 

And  jjladly  wolde  lie  lerne,  and  g'adly  te<'he."^ 

His  unpretentious  appearance,  mute  evidence  of  tlie 
hardships  of  a  life  dcvote<l  to  knowl  Ige  and  to  the  memories 
of  pious  founders  not  only  disarmed  prejudice,  but  com- 
mendiil  him  to  public  esteem  and  confidence.      Monks  and 

'  Thi'  "  ti:itii)iis"  ,it  Paris  \v<tc'  fniirfoM:  fliose  ,,{  rraiici-.  Picunly.  Niir- 
niundy,  uiid  KriKliirjil.  T\tr  Kunli^li  ■  na'ioii  "  iiiclmli'il  tin'  .Sfotcli  and  (icr- 
ni:iiis.     At  Oxford  thiT.'  wrrv  Imt  two  UiitiDiis,  the  Austral:*  :iii<l  the  Hiireula. 

2  I'rof.  \V.  W.  Skrafs  editiiiii. 


JOHN  wycliffp: 


43 


friars  no  longer  secured  the  donations  of  the  great  and 
wealthy  for  their  religious  hou>es.  Insteail,  tfiese  gifts 
were  bestowed  upon  the  secuhir  clergy,  who  wi-re  rapidly 
formulating  an  ethical  and  political  system  deriving  its 
principles  elsewhere  than  from  the  Church,  and  setting  up 
a  rival  authority  not  yet  clearly  defined,  hut  nevertheless 
sedulously  maintained.  In  summary,  it  can  he  said  that  in 
an  age  of  change  and  douht,  when  human  life  was  deprived 
of  the  light  of  a  former  faith,  the  gloom  was  pierced  at  inter- 
vals by  the  radiance  which  streamed  from  the  colleges. 


VIII 

We  obtain  a  glimpse  of  Wycliffe  at  Oxforrl  between  the 
years  i:?.")!!  and  i;5()(),  when  he  was  elected  .Master  of  Balliol, 
an  office  not  then  by  any  means  so  consicUrahle  as  now,  but 
for  which  he  -ould  h;,  >  have  become  a  candidate  had  he 
not  been  a  fellow  of  that  institution.  In  IM'A  he  relin- 
quished it  for  the  college  living  .  Fillingham  in  Lincoln- 
shire; in  the  same  year  "John  de  Wyclif  of  the  diocese  of 
York.  M.  A."  petitioned  the  Roman  Curia  for  his  designation 
to  a  prel)end,  canonry,  and  dignity  at  York,  "notwith- 
standing that  he  holds  the  church  at  Fillingham."  The 
prayer  was  answered,  though  not  as  Wyclitfe  desired,  and 
on  November  l'4tli,  i:{()!t,  he  received  the  prebend  of  Aust 
in  the  collegiate  church  of  Westbury-on-Trym,  near  Bristol.' 
It  is  probable  that  WyclitVe  occujjied  this  benefice;  and  the 
latest  investigations  show  that  the  connection  of  his  name 
with  the  Wardenship  of  Canterbury  Hall,  although  deemed 
erroneous  by  some,  has  substantial  evidence  in  its  favor. 
The  Hall  was  plamied  to  shelter  botii  seculars  and  monks, 
an    intention   frustrat«'d    by  their  endless   wranglings  from 

I  Thprc  w;is  iiothiim  mmusu.iI  in  Ihi.  |,rcf.Tiii..|,l  ..|i  tlic  imrl  of  tin'  l'n|„. 
It    Wiis   rciilly    ;i    iuri|i,.v,il    .■,|iiiv:il,.|il    of    tlu-   iM.Mlmi     f,.||n»>lii|,     aiiil    wis 
Kranto.1  ii>  s,i,l,  nia>l..rs  m>  wer.-  s..U.,|,.,l  l.y  the   I'.mtill  fmm  tlu-  ii~t.s  nhi.-h 
the  uiiiviTsiiirs  suUniiltfrl. 


lit] 


It. 


i 


44        THUKK    KKLKilOUS   LEADKUS   OF   OXFORD 


I'l*'"'  to  1;{7I.  Small  iiiipDrtaiicr,  howi-ver,  is  attaolied  to 
WycIiHV's  association  1ut»-,  sav«-  that  in  after  years  his 
fiu'inifs  attrihutt'il  liis  attacks  upon  the  rclipous  orders 
to  the  severe  treatment  he  was  then  supjjosed  to  have  re- 
ceived fn.m  Archhishop  Lanjiham.  The  diocesan  registers 
of  Lincohi  state  that  in  VM\S  IJishop  Huckin^iiam  ^rante.! 
WycIiH'e  two  years'  leave  of  absence  from  his  cluirch  in 
order  that  he  mif;ht  devote  himself  to  the  study  of  letters 
at  the  I'niverMty.  About  this  time  lie  exchanged  his  living 
at  Killiiifiham  for  the  rectorate  of  Ludj,'ershall,  in  iJuckinj;- 
hamshire,  wliich  brought  him  within  sixteen  miles  of  Oxford. 
In  i:57l>.  after  sixteen  years  of  incosant  i)rcparation.  he 
obtaiiie<l  the  coveted  de;;ree  in  divinity  which  pive  him  the 
rifiht  to  lecture  on  theoloj;y.  and  in  the  following  year  the 
I'ope  <()nferre<l  upon  his  "dilectissimus  filius"  a  canon ry 
of  Lincoln,  while  allowing  him  to  retain  the  prebend  he 
already  held  at  Aust. 

From  these  frafimentary  records,  some  of  which  are  far 
from  explicit,  two  facts  distinctly  eraerf,'e.  The  first  is  that 
he  was  a  plurali>t  and  an  absentee  rector,  accepting  and 
practisinj;  the  customs  he  afterwards  .lenounced  ;  the  second, 
that  his  return  to  Oxford  was  utilizeil  for  the  further  enrich- 
ment of  his  leaniinfr.  His  controversy  with  the  Papal 
authority  had  not  yet  arisen,  and  the  mistaken  assertirm 
that  he  published  his  "  Determinatio  Qua-ilam  de  Dominio" 
in  \-',m  as  a  protest  apiinst  the  tribute  levied  by  I'rban  \, 
is  without  admi>sil)le  support.  This  work  contained  oniy 
hmts  of  his  doctrine  of  "lordship,"  and  was  not  written  until 
at  !ea->t  seven  years  after  the  Pope's  levy.  During  the 
niterval  before  the  storm,  wind  and  tide  were  with  him,  no 
untoward  circumstances  sapped  his  strength  or  diverted 
his  attention  from  that  phih.sophy  in  which,  as  Knighton 
aviTs.    "he   was   -ccond    to   none:   in    the   training   of    the 

school>  without   a    rival."     Arundel,   the    relentless    f. f 

the  Lollards,  bore  testimony  to  the  purity  of  hi>  personal 
life,  acknowledgint;  to  'l'horp<'  that   "  Wyclilfe  was  a  great 


JOHN    VVVi  LIKKK 


45 


clerk,  and  many  iiu-n  held  liiiii  a  perfect  liver."  Some  of  his 
lectures  have  l)eeii  preser\c<l  in  an  unrevised  notebook 
where  the  display  of  their  ran^e  and  erudition  is  only  ecjualed 
by  their  complete  mastery  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.' 

His  endowments  shed  a  departing  K'lt'ii'n  ui)on  the  philo- 
sophical system  of  which  he  was  tlie  last  exponent,  and 
from  the  fascinations  of  which  he  never  freed  himself.  In 
the  perspective  of  history  he  -tands  forth  as  one  of  the 
dominant  figures  in  "a  mighty  and  astonishing;  style  of 
scholarship  which,  doubtless  from  the  absence  of  the  proper 
social  conditions,  will  never  be  seen  again."  -  It  has  already 
been  affirmed  that  in  the  fourteenth  century  Oxford's 
philosophers  surpassed  those  of  any  Kuroj)ean  university, 
and  that  in  increasin>;  mimbers  they  were  not  cloistered  but 
secular  clergy.  Certainly  at  no  earlier  time  could  the 
seculars  have  claimed  three  such  doctors  as  Thcmias  Brad- 
wardine.  Richard  Fit/ralph,  an<l  John  Wyclitle.  The 
Reformer's  political  employments  and  controversies  were 
not  without  detrimental  effects,  but  they  came  late  in  life, 
when  the  gaze  of  friends  and  foes  alike  was  fixed  upon  his 
formidable  power  of  advocacy.  The  massive  intellect  of  the 
man,  his  strong  fxTsonality,  his  gift  of  lucid  and  weighty 
utterance,  immediately  brought  his  colleagues  in  the  I'ni- 
versity  under  the  .spell  of  his  influence,  and  eventually  won 
him  preferment  in  the  Church  and  an  international  reputa- 
tion. 

'  H.  R.  Workman  :  "The  D;iwn  of  the  Reformation"  ;  Vol.  I,  pp.  113-114. 
•  John  Fi.ikc  :  "  Uiirwiuism  and  ( )thor  Essays"  ;  p.  250. 


i* 


niAITKR  II 
SOrUCES  OF  WYCLIFFIAXISM 


I' 


i 


f 


When  religion  and  the  interest  of  the  soul  are  the  subjects  of  de- 
bate, the  sparks  of  huiiiun  entTRV  are  kin(iie<l  as  by  a  charm,  and  sprea<l 
with  the  rnpMity  of  an  cUctric  Huid.  Opinions  work  upon  actions, 
and  artions  react  u|H>n  opinions;  the  defense  of  truth  or  error  stirs 
up  the  moral  iM)wers,  and  leails  men  on  to  d»-eds  of  vi^or.  and  the 
effwts  of  active  zeal  reflect  u|)on  the  opinions  and  systems  of  men.  and 
raise  tlicm  to  those  heights  of  six-f-ulative  and  logical  abstraction, 
which  are  the  wonder  of  beholders  and  the  engima  of  future  genera- 
tions. 

Life  of  St.  (lermantu. 


48 


(lIAITEIi  II 

SOl'IUKS    OK    \VY(  LIKKIANIHM 

Wyrliffp's  liteniry  iiss<Kiiiti.)iis  with  Oxfor.l  -  His  relation  to  Scho- 
lastirisin  -Tlx"  S(li..liisti<>  iii(tli(«l  -Its  rist-  ami  proRrcss  —  Xoini- 
niilism  tiiid  Uralisiii  Tli,.  t.-n<hiii>;  <,f  A(|uinas  —  Duns  Scotus  and 
Ins  al>s«)!utist  il.wtriiu-s  U.-action  in  William  of  ()<-kliani  —  "Defen- 
sor Pacis"  of  Marsi^tlio  —  Diir.reme  hetwwn  KnKlisli  and  Continen- 
tal Srhohistieisin  ~  Wycliffe  and  the  Nominalist  rontroversy  —  His 
m(Hlifie<l  Ilealism  -His  attitu<le  towards  theoloffieal  problems  - 
Thomas  Bradwardine  -  Wyeliffe's  criticism  of  Hradwardine  —  Trea- 
tis«-s  (m  "Divine  Domini..!)"  and  "Civil  b)rdship"  —  Wycliffe  the 
last  great  Sch(K)Iman  ~- His  alliance  with  John  of  Gaunt  —  Confer- 
ence of  Bruges  —  Wyeliffe's  literary  activity. 


At  this  time  Wyclitte  ha<l  achieved  the  desire  of  his 
heart;  liis  associations  with  Oxford  were  destined  to  be 
prolonjred  and  memorahle.  and  from  there  his  prolific  pen 
gave  forth  those  iarj;er  works  on  philosophy  and  theoh)py 
which  are  now  seldom  read.  Many  of  his  pamphlets  and 
treatises  on  papal  claims  and  imposts,  the  political  .status 
of  the  clergy,  indnljrences.  and  other  contentious  issues 
were  also  written  at  the  I'niversity.  His  friendship  with 
its  teachers  and  doctors  was  a  wekome  aid  and  a  protection 
in  his  hours  of  loneliness  and  danger.  And  when  in  his 
dedininjj  years  its  leaders  forsook  him,  their  desertion 
was  a  severe  hlow  to  his  propa>;an<ia.  In  the  interval,  if 
the  practical  allairs  of  the  nation  were  benefited  by  his 
diversified  yet  systematized  kiiowledj;e,  those  which  related 
to  religious  and  clerical  (piestions  were  quite  as  fortunate. 
His  utterances  and  writinj^s  were  very  utK»qual  in  merit, 
B  40 


.i 


ii; 


•i 

i 


50        TIIKKK    KKLKilOl  S    LKADKHS   <»F   OXKOUI) 

l)iit  the  l)t>t  of  tlinii  wiTv  not  mere  tiir>;i<l  rlu-toric  pro- 
fiixly  pdiircd  out  ;  tlicy  cryNtiilli/cd  amuiul  an  iixioinatic 
and  iiitrrpiil  na-iniiii^'  whidi  \\a>  the  iiiipiTativc  workiiij; 
priiicijilc  ill  many  of  liis  inttllcctiial  ainl  literary  t-tl'orts.  I  lis 
l)r(iiiiM'>  may  not  lie  oiir>  ;  indeed,  we  may  tliink  tlietn  often 
olociire  or  ineomplete,  and  at  times  unwarranted.  \vt  it 
i>  patent  tiiat  >ome  were  carefully  dioseii,  and  while  in  the 
altseiiee  of  the  indiietive  inetiiod  tile  inattiT  of  his  ar>;iiineiit 
wa>  fre(|iieiitly  at  fault,  its  form  was  ii>ually  eorreet.  In 
lirief,  Wyelill'e  was  a  Schoolman,  whose  streii;:th  and  weak- 
ness were  alike  ilne  to  an  inherited  system  whieli  should 
l)e  explained  in  order  that  his  merits  as  a  thinker  may  lie 
appreciated 

Schola>ti<i-.m  was  an  alile  and  jiraiseworthy  attemi)t  to 
reconcile  the  doijmas  of  faith  with  the  dictates  of  reason, 
mill  thus  formnlate  an  inclusive  system  on  the  jjresup- 
l)osition  that  the  creed  of  the  (hurch  was  the  one  reality 
capahle  of  rationalization.  .\s  the  product  of  Christian 
intellectualism,  it  acted  under  the  Aristotelian  method, 
and  wa>  p)\tTned  hy  the  fundamental  assuiuption  tliat  all 
phenomena  mii>t  he  understood  from  and  toward  theoiojiy. 
The  early  Fathers  had  heipieathed  to  their  successors  ii 
well-articulated  and  comi>re}iensive  theolof,'ical  dof;ma, 
and  alM)  the  ])liilo>ophical  apparatus  which  determined 
and  shaped  its  <onteiit.  When  the  Schoolmen  realized  the 
nature  of  the  hecpiot  they  endeavored  to  recover  the  spirit 
of  inipiiry  which  lay  liehiiid  its  results,  and  <oiis((piently 
the  (hi  ell  entered,  almost  automatically,  upon  a  i)eriod 
of  -trcs-  and  strain  similar  to  those  she  had  previously 
experienced.  Now.  however,  additional  factors  intervened 
and  intcii-i(ic(|  the  situation.  The  (-fiaiiization  and  growth 
of  the  Papacy  reinforced  the  preilicate- of  authority,  catho- 
licitv ,  doj;mati>iii.  and  the  predominance  of  s|)iritual  claims, 
while  the  imperial  iiidiicnce  of  St.  .\ii;;ustine  was  widely 
ditiuM'd   ill  cniitcni|)orary  iheoloijy. 

The    .Shoja^',.-    >y>te!ii    can    lie    siirveyt-d  in    two    nearlv 


JOHN    WVCMFrK 


rA 


etiual  divisions  of  tin-  jM-ricMl  rxtt-iulitif;  from  tlu-  nintli  to  tin- 
fiid  of  tlu'  fiftftiitli  cfiitury.  The  (ir^t  of  tlust-  iiivi>ioiis, 
wliicli  ttTiiiiiiiit<(l  with  the  twclftli  ci-iitiiry,  was  rf|irfM'iit»-<l 
l)y  Krijrt'riii.'  KoMtlliinis,  Anstlm.  Willijiin  of  Chimiix'aiix 
uihI  his  pupil  Ahailiinl :  the  m-coikI,  In  Allu-rtiis  .Ma;;miN 
Thoinas  Acpiiiias,  Diitis  Scotiis  and  William  of  Ockliani. 
The  scicnic  of  tlicM'  sdiolar-.  in  so  far  a>  that  term  isapi)li- 
ralilc,  dealt  almost  «x<lu^i\»iy  with  divinity,  ^ft  theirs 
was  an  a^t-  of  reason  as  well  as  of  faith,  and  no  part  of  their 
work  could  lie  canceled  without  a  >hock  to  the  contiimity 
of  progress.  It  is  eaM  for  the  di>cii)hs  of  later  int.  Mectual- 
ism  to  say  tliat  their  |)iir>uit  of  truth  was  a  mockery.  Miwe 
they  startt'd  upon  the  journey  carrying  their  convictions 
with  them,  or  that  they  fahricated  al.surd  and  ri<iicnlous 
prohlems  and  then  proceeded  to  demonstrate  their  validity 
or  invalidity.  The  Schoolmen  do  not  deserve  thes.-  jrihes; 
they  keenly  felt  the  spiritual  experiences  on  which  they 
discoursed,  and  craved  an  adecpiate  defeiiNe  for  tlieni. 
Careless  criticism  of  their  action  lias  lucn  di>placed  hy 
the  weighty  jud;;ment  of  llarnack.  that  their  system  "nives 
pra<tical  proof  of  ea^'eriiess  in  thinking:  and  exhihits  an 
energy  in  sul)jectin>:  all  that  is  real  and  valnahle  to  thouKJit 
to  which  we  can  find,  perhaps,  no  parallel  in  any  other 
aj;e."-'  If  their  |)hilo>oph\  was  not  an  etVective  means  fur 
enriciiin^;  knowled^'e.  it  was  a  method  for  the  training'  of  the 
intellect  which  stren^rthened  the  reaxinin^  powers  and  pre- 
I)ared  them  for  penetratisc  and  compreliensive  work.  In 
these  res|)ect>  the  metaphysic  of  the  Mi.ldic  A^es  is  closely 
related  to  that  of  later  experimental  schools;  its  mission  was 
to  expand  and  invij;orate  the  human  mind  until  the  ixtund- 
k'ss  field-  of  tht>  natural  .-sciences  were  opened  to  research. 


Iy 
•'1 


'  Krii.'<M:i  w:is  rcillv  (,f  tlir  -i.iritiial  tra.liliMn  .,f  tl,,.  ( •liri^tiiiii  Mv-iir-. 
iind  IritcII.Mtuully  :i  \ri.-l'l:il..iii>t.  r:ith,T  tli.in  :,  I  v|,i.-.il  S,|,ol,i.>tir. '  ||,. 
ni:iy  1«.  rci.':irili.,|  ;,<  :,  roniM'.iiiii;  link  Utwci'M  lli.'x-  >rli,,,,|s  ,ih.|  tin-  ii.oi, 
proMiMiiircl  SchulaMiciMi,  «l.i,li  pr.-.|..niiiiHl.'.|  fr..iii  tli,-  .|rv,';illi  to  the 
fiiMrtciMitli  cciitiilii's. 

'  •■  Hi-tor.v  ..f  l)..i;iM,. '   ;   \..!.  VI.  |..  .'.",. 


.Vi        THUKK    UKLKJIors    LKADKHs   <)K   OXKOItl) 

Tile  two  .uiiii^  of  Hfiilists  anil  Noininalists  furnishod  th«> 
inatrriHl  for  scholastic  .liscnssion.  The  Introduction  to  the 
"IsaKo^c"  (.f  I'orphyry.  the  .\.(Kl'latoni>t,  anticipute*!  the 
•liirerences  wlii<h  afterwards  s«|)arated  them.  "Next  con- 
eerninn  K«'"«Ta  and  s|M<ics  the  (|iie>tion  indee<l  whether  they 
have  a  substantial  existence,  or  whether  they  consist  in  hare 
intellectual  concept  only,  or  whetli.T  if  they  have  a  sub- 
stantial existence  they  are  corporeal  or  incorporeal,  and 
whetlier  they  an-  iiiseparalih'  from  the  insensihh-  |)ropcrties 
of  thing's,  or  ar»>  only  in  these  pro|MTties  and  sul.sistiuK 
about  them,  I  shall  forbear  to  determine,  f..r  a  cpiestion  of 
this  kind  is  very  deep."  Tin-  majority  of  his  readers  will 
un.loubtedly  cheerfully  accpiiesce  in  this  decision. 

The  Uealists  contended  that  reality  b.lonjrcd  only  to 
universal  conceptions,  and  that  particulars  of  any  kind  were 
merely  mental  conveniences.  l-"or  example,  the  term 
"house"  did  not  denote  the  tiling  itself,  but  only  the  im- 
material  idea.  This  rcasimini:  was  also  ap|)licd  to  man, 
for  whom  reality  consist.,!  i,,  the  hmnanity  shared  with' 
all  men  and  not  in  a  rlistinct  v^i,.  Iii<lividuality  was  entirely 
dependent  upon  its  participation  in  the  >;encral  essence  of 
the  species.  Kverythini;  in  heaven  and  on  earth  was  pri- 
marily of  one  substance  with  the  all-comprehending  I'niversal 
Heinle.  The  Kernis  of  the  Pantheism  of  Spinoza  can  be  de- 
tected here,  an.l  also  those  of  hiter  forms  of  idealism.  Tlie 
Nominalists  maintained  that  nniversals  were  merely  terms, 
and  that  reality  had  n(»  meaning'  apart  from  the  individual 
and  the  particular;  intellectual  conceptions  and  uni\ersal 
relations  beiiif;  purely  imntal  processes  without  any  actual 
existence.  These  uncpialified  assertions  were  suflicieiitly 
dauuiKiiiK  to  ortho.Ioxy  to  alarm  its  .supporters.  Their 
instincts  revolted  apiinst  a  doctrine  of  which,  as  Dr.  Hash- 
dall  comments,  the  skeptical  sensationalism  of  Hume  and 
the  crudest  forms  of  later  materialism  were  but  illogical 
attenuations.  \,-t,  while  Nominalism  did  not  secure  ai^y 
permanent  hold  upon  the  acceptol  theolo^'y  of  the  Cliurcli. 


JOHN    VVYCLIKIK 


53 


its  insistence  that  the  particulur  and  the  imii\  i«iual  were  the 
only  reahtie:*  iMived  tiu-  way  for  the  inductive  method  in 
physical  investigation. 

II 

Heali  ni  receivefl  its  LTeutcst  exposition  and  defense 
from  St.  Tlioina.-.  .\<|uina;*,  m  Italian  of  rank  and  the  School- 
niun  par  exctllence.  who  live<l  froni  1227  to  1274.  The 
pupil  of  .MluTtus  Magnus  in  the  Doniiniian  seh(M»l  at 
Cologne,  ill  124.')  he  followed  his  master  to  I'aris,  where  he 
jjradiiateil  in  theolojjy,  after  which  he  returned  to  Cologne 
to  hecoiiie  assisti:-t  to  Alhertus.  .\(|uiiias  surpassetl  all 
other  teachers  as  tin-  einhodied  essence  of  Scli«)lasticism 
and  the  most  admirahle  example  of  the  spirit  and  dixtrine 
of  tlu-  medieval  Cliiirch.'  His  '•.Summa  TheoIoKiie"  is 
an  uneqiialed  etfort.  in  which  the  mysteries  of  the  Christian 
faith  aii<l  the  certitudes  of  the  human  reason  are  defined  as 
the  two  sources  of  knowledge.  While  they  are  distinct  in 
themselves,  revelation  has  the  indi^piitahle  priority,  since, 
as  the  fountain  of  ahsolute  truth,  it  manifests  the  life  of 
Deity,  and  its  sovereimi  I)recepts  are  the  causes  and  not  the 
results  of  that  manifestation.  Uoth  faith  and  reason 
must  Ih'  n-ceived  as  they  are  ahvu.  in  their  completeness 
and  unity,  with  no  part  advanced  at  the  ex|M'nse  of  the 
rest.  The  Holy  Scriptures  and  Thurch  traditii)!!  heiii)? 
the  appointed  channels  of  Divine  verity,  the  student  should 
know  the  doctrines  of  the  Hihie  and  the  interpretations  of 
the  Fathers,  tojjether  with  the  decisions  of  the  Councils 
thereupon. 

Heasoii,  as  .\(piiiias  conceived  it,  was  iiiHiiitely  more  than 
the  pHMluct  of  any  single  hrain.  It  was  the  presiding  and 
inspiring  attrilmte  of  the  collective  human  inind,  which 
hitherto  had  found  its  freest  vent  in  the  meditations  of 
riato  and  the  nietlKMls  of  .\ristotle.  The  life  t)f  reason  did 
not  remain  in  a  state  of  disintegration  and  confinement  to 

'  H.  n.  Wdrknmii:    ■The  Dawn  of  the  Hcfi)rni,ilii.ii"  ;    Vol.  I.  p.  1:12. 


')!        'I'llUKK    UKI.KIKMS    I.KADKKs   OK   OXKOKI) 


Htparatr  points,  hiit  r«Milt«<l  in  tlii'  formation  of  a  coninutn 
imtllcctiial    hariium.v.     Moili    rcvrlatioti    uiid    rnison    wore 
iiiiiliT  tlif  (linrtimi  of  tin-  liviiin   ami   <Tcaliii>;  fiHTnifs   of 
tlic  KttTiiiil  Hciiin.     'I'lu'v  --liarffl  one  origin  ami  oni-  gou\, 
ami    thrir  otl>priii^'    in    tli«-olo^:y    or   pliiloM.pliy    pn'smtnl 
that   «dnipaliliilit.v    wliidi   wa^  one  of  tin-  tnaiii    tenets   of 
S«liola>ti(i>ni     ami.    imieed.    praetieallv     nionopoli/.e<l     its 
arK'ninent.      The  prepanil  ami  diligent  se«'ker  ini>;lit  liiniMlf 
Imtohh'  a   vehicle  for  their  eoinnuniieations,  and   thns,  in 
h'\>  turn.  ad<l  to  the  delinite  piins  which  heiielited  histor.v 
and  Mxiety.     Unt  he  was  adMioni>hed  that  they  contained 
a   snjMTior   kiiowhdne   forever   heyonil    the   uracp  of   man, 
who  was  coni|Kiisited  liy  a  secondary  knowh-il^e  to  which 
he  could  attain.     The  truths  within  human  reach  were  but 
the  foothills  of  an  inaccessihie  hei;;ht  where  (Jod  reserved 
the   |»attcrn   of    His    omni>cient    will.     Toward    that    lofty 
rejrion    revelation   and    rea-oii  con\er>;ed,  and    there   found 
their     i)erfect     reconciliation.      While     Acpiinas     repirded 
Christian  theolo>;\    as  the  sum  and  crown  of  all  impiiry, 
he  included  the  (ircck  philo>o|)hers  in  his  spacious  survey 
and  was  inlinenced  hy  .Vverroes  and  .   >  iceima,  the  Saracenic 
interi)rcters  of  .\ri>totle.     For  he  held  that  far  from  l)eiiiK 
explicaMc  liy  natural  processes,  a-  these  are  usually  under- 
stoiMl,   the  generalizations  of   non-v'hristian    thinkers   were 
tracealil'    to   th>'  authority  of   those  sacn-d    writinjjs  which 
really   (ontrollcd    every    intellectual    movement,   and    their 
teaching's   were   specified    l>y    him   as   the  axioms  of  an  all 
perva>i\c  spiritual   life.     Mis  super!)  Iearm"n>,'   was  evinced 
in    the    ••Catena    .\urea."    where,    under    the    form    of    a 
conunentary  on   the  (Jospels.  he  jrave  a  succinct  summary 
of  the  triiditional  views  conceniiiij;  th»-m.     His  more  direct 
exposition  of  the   I'sahus,  the  prophecies  of  .Feremiah  and 
Isaiah,   and    the    Kpistlcs.    was   cfpially   clear   and    concise. 
From  tluse  stuilies  he  turned  to  the  (Ireek  thinkers,  suprem- 
acy amouK  whom  he  accorded  t.>  .\ristotle,  whose  dialectic 
suited  the  complexion  ul'  his  own  mind. 


.UUIV    VVYCLIFKK 


55 


Iiiiltf*!.  it  cuei  Ik-  sjiiil  that  tin-  pliilusdphy  of  St.  Tliornas 
is  Aristotle  ("liristiaiii/c(l.  ami  that  tin-  doctors  for  -.vhom 
hi-  was  the  >|M>k»'siiiaii  louki'd  on  natiirr  ami  tiniii  tliroiit'li 
thf  im-ilium  of  the  Stajjiritr's  foriiiiila-.  I'rincipal  h'airlmirii 
rrtnarks  that  "  if  chiircht-,  always  canoiii/.rtl  flirir  liciiffactDrs, 
Aristotle  sMiiilil  loiij;  api  have  Ih-cii  at  tin-  hrad  of  the  Moinaii 
("ali'iidar.  'rhirc  wtTc  many  Srhool-  (n.  hut  tluy  all  hail 
(iiu-  master.  aii<l   they   liiiilt   l)y   \>'  ,     uid   to  iii>  honor 

systems  that  even  he  would   lur       r  •    ,^'\\\^^l\y^   '  t.,  1„.  enes-- 
flo|M'die  and  marvels  of  an  hit         m,.         . 

The  aml>ition  of  A(|uinas  ii.      i 
the    totality    of    learning;,     i      ..    ,     .. 
.sui)je(t   to  ecclesiastical   '•     .  .  .■  ■,  » 

spirituality  which  iuter|)'  '  it  • 
still  is,  for  the  l'apa<y  i  i'le  •  , 
olo)»y.  and  its  efforts  to  p.M  ', 
and  that  reaM)n  is  divine,  tlii.!  :ill  i  ..  .v.  I 
from  whatever  scairce  derived,  n 
rnonious  adjustment,"  '  de-erve  ti:i 
accept  the  sentiment  of  Auhrey  Moon 
truly  religious  is  (inally  reasonahle.  The  niiMlerate  iJealism 
which  the  "AiiRclic  |)o<tor,"  who  is  the  patron  saint  of 
many  Koman  Catholic  institutions  of  learning;,' so  trium- 
phantly interpreted  liecanii'  a  shining  mark  for  the  attacks 
of  the  Nominalists  of  the  next  ueiu-ration. 

Foremost  amonK  its  assailants  was  the  Franciscan  John 
Duns  .Scotus  (lL>7.")y  1:{()S).  The  l.roken  and  uncertain 
records  of  i,is  unicpu"  career  assert  that  he  died  when  only 
thirty-four  years  of  ajre.     If  this   is  corre<t,   the   rapidity 

'  'Cliri-it  in  Mi.ilcrii   Tlnv.luu'.v "  ;    |..  Il!l. 

'II.  U:i.-.|ii|:ill  :  '  rriiMMsitics  (,f  tjirnin-  in  tin-  Middle  Aces";  Vol.  I, 
I).  .'«>7. 

'  The  KraiiriMnn-;  li.u,.  nevrr  (■■iniplrli^lv  acknowl.dciMl  tlic  siiprrmMry  • 
St.  Tlmni.is  altliuiiirh  |>,,|„.  |.,.,,  \lll  iTiitii-illv  niud.'  his  Ica.liinu  ll. 
ofTii-iMl  Minhnril\-  of  the  ( ■jmr.'li.  ||  |,  aUo  inlcnwiirm  to  note  tliat  liis  dof- 
trinc.s  hav,-  li.',.n  iiljo.d  in  tin'  lli..orii-  ot  H.tj-^oii.  Hoth  ttiinkpri  ii-.'  tlw 
nifthod  of  anaiou'i  and  Ih.ar  ■onrcpi  of  order  is  i'"..ntial!y  praetiral  and 
Ihi'olocical.  I'll.'  KiTirsoni.in  iii-«s  .irr  aniiripaird  in  the  ■  Siirriina  "  to  a 
Uiiiiled  dcurci',  hiil  it  woiiM  Im>  alwijnl  lo  il.iinj  tli.ir  whol,.,  il,.  .i^rcnnii!. 


I'     llll    Ih' 

":..        and 

\<        ,.    the 

■  ■    s,  and 

'I''   rd    th«'- 

i-    rational 

'  all  trmh, 

I     of    har- 

those  who 

that    whatever   is 


■  11' 
"k  I 
h  I 
!  ^1'  II 
.i:v  n 
I  .'I I'  il 
i 


i  W^ 


56 


THKKK    HKLKilOLS    LKADKKS   OF   OXFORD 


I  t  w 


h 


ill  <1  i-xteiit   of  his   litcniry   output,  to   sis    uothinj,'  of  its 
micTosco],:.-  .l»-tiiil  iiiiil   tortuous  pnxvssvs,  arc  anions  tlie 
marvels  of  luimau  adiiivciui-ut.     His  coiitroviTsial  attitude 
was  swavnl  In  the  current  antagonism  Ixtween  the  Fran- 
ciscans and   the   Dominicans,     A(iuinas    was    eoustructi\e. 
Scotus  destructive ;  the  former  was  essentially  a  |)hilosoplier,' 
the  hitter  a  critic  wlu.se  dexterous  turn>  earned   him  the 
title    of    "Doctor    Suhtilis."     Me    iii>i-,ted    that    his    ^reat 
predeivssor   err.-d    in   founding  theology   upon   speculation 
ratluT   than   practice.     Faith   was  an   act  of  the  will  and 
not  an  outflow  of  the  min.l,  and  the  intellect  could  not  easily 
find    \vhat    was    loosely    called    a    rational    Imsis    for    the 
phenomena     with     whi.h    faith    d.-a't.     The  most    careful 
•  leleiise  of  this   |)o-ition   was  oi)en   to   the   attacks    of  the 
^ACj)ticid.     Revelation   and    do^'ina- were  the  onlv   reliable 
Ruardians  „f  anything'  nohle  and  trii.-,  and  the  ontologv  of 
Aquinas    was    th.refore    worthl<-ss   as   an    ai)olojr,.tic.     The 
existciMc  and  nature  of  Cod  coiild  not  he  proved  hy  reason. 
Kven   the  (in-pels  were  unworthy  of  credence  sav'e  cm  the 
authority  of  the  Church,  and   the  tciuts  of  religion  were 
acce|.tcd   anil   ol.cycd.   not    in   d.'fcrcnce  to  human   uiider- 
standiiifr.  hut  under  the  immediate  impuls,-  nf  divine  neces- 
sity.    {uh\   comniands   what    is   >:o„d    hccaiise   it    is   k<)(kI. 
argued   A(iniiia.;    the  j;o..,i   i>  >,„.|,   hn-aiis,.  (],>,]   wills  it! 
njom.-d   .S,,tus:    had   He  willed   the  opp..site.   the  fact   of 
His  doin^'  it    would   coiiMitiite   its    rij;liteousness.     In    the 
one  ca>e  the  (hterminant  was  an  ethical  volition;    in  the 
other  an  arl.itrary  amrmatioii  which  had  n..  iiecessarv  ethical 
quality. 

T!:.'  tciid.'ncy  of  the  philoM.|>hy  of  .^cotus  was.  as  Dr. 
llashdall  phraM^,  it,  towards  "an  eiiioti..nal  prostration 
l"lnrc  authority  jxipulariy  called  faith,"  and  its  ulti- 
mate .Irift  lay  in  tlie  dircctim,  of  doiiht.  ||,s  extravagant 
advocacy  of  (cd.M.i-ti.  al  Miprcina.y,  hi.  sup,.rfluous  in- 
tricacies and  ima-inary  .ntitics  w,.r,.  ,„,,re  than  merelv 
fanciful;    they    marked    the    fa.t    approa.'hiuK    decav    .".f 


(UN    WYCLIFKK 


57 


medieval  tluuiglit,  ami  tliis  wii>  liii>tene(l  liy  his  less  jml- 
pahle  Init  firavcr  error  in  ilixuniiii:  faitli  from  reason, 
thus  threateiiiii);  the  eitailel  of  the  wi^f>t  Sclioolrm-ii. 
Neither  hi-  zeal  for  hi^'her  doctrine  nor  his  identifieatioii  of 
faith  with  a  Mind  >ni)niissioti  to  the  ("hnreh  eotdd  repair 
the  havoc  he  had  wronnht  hy  weakening  the  distinctions 
between  ri^ht  and  wronj:.  Me  made  moral  action  dependent 
on  the  unconditioned  arbitrary  will  of  (Jod,  and  reduced 
duty  to  a  mere  matter  of  prudent  calculation.' 

The  inevitable  rea<tioii  found  its  ailvocate  in  William  of 
Oekham.  the  "Invincible  Doctor"  whose  new  interi)retation 
of  Nominalism  heralded  the  dissolution  of  Scholastici>in  an<I 
repudiateil  its  hi-torlc  loyalty  to  the  Holy  See.  •' I'niver- 
sals,"  for  Oekham,  e\i-~ied  only  in  •'the  thinkinj;  mind."  and 
no  theoIo;:i(al  doctrine^  were  rationally  denion>trable.  The 
mcMlern  scientist  <'ould  acce|)t  maii.\  of  his  statements  with- 
out seriou-.  modification,  and  in  the  liuht  of  later  philoso|)hy 
he  was  not  so  nnuh  a  Ndminali-t  as  a  ('uncei)tualist.  I5ut, 
while  he  revived  .Xominalisin  of  a  (|ualified  x.rt,  he  could 
not  overcome  the  current  of  IJcali-m  which  "dimly  and 
l)lindly  testihed  to  the  |)art  mind  play-,  in  the  constitution  of 
the  objects  of  our  knowled,:;e  to  the  truth  that  in  all  our 
knowh'd>;e  there  i>  an  ethical  element  which  comes  not  from 
any  supposed  'external  object'  .-it  from  the  mind  itself." - 
His  forceful  individuality  wa>  teit  in  his  leailerdii|)  of  the 
Spiritual  Franciscans,  who.  so  loiitr  a>  he  uas  their  head, 
observed  both  by  |)recept  and  example  the  vows  of  their 
order.  This  policy  revealed  the  latent  antaironisui  betwe  'u 
the  fxilitical  aut.icracy  of  Ilildebrand  and  t!ie  e'hereali/«'d 
aspirations  of  the  Saint  of  .\s,i>i.  \Vl„.,i  ( )ckham  with  others 
inveit;hed  ay:aiii-t  the  I'apal  ilcci-ions  on  property.  l'op.> 
John  XXll  pronounced  coinlenmation  on  tiic  l-"ranciscan 
doctrine  relatini;  thereto,  an    act  which  led  to  further  ditfer- 


J 


U- 


'  II.   Ka-liil:ill      '   ruiv.T-iii.-  ,,f  i:urM|„.  I,,  ili,.  Mi,i,||,.    \i:,.v"-    V.il    II 
Ii.  .'i.tl. 

•'  lliid  .  I'.iri  II.  |.|.     (.■,1,  .!.-,: 


<      '1 


i  ■ 
■1 1 


')S        TIIKKK    HKLICIors    LKAOKKs   oK   ().\|-(tui) 

••nc<->   until   thf   .t.Ict  was  .Iciiiol   official    rf.-n-iutioi,  and 
l)la(r(l  iin.ItT  the  l.aii  of  tlu-  Cliiircli. 

OckliainV  coiitciition  that  tlu-  Stat.-  was  a  .li\iiic  onlina- 
ti(.n.  and  ^liould  tiicn't'or.'  I>«'  frrcd  from  i'(clr-<ia>ti(al  con- 
trol, a^';rravat.'d  the  dJMontcnt  wlii.li  provoked  tli.- conflicts 
l)ct\Mrn  the  rope  and  tin-  Knipcr.T.  Ironi  tlic-c  in  turn 
-Itraiiir  the  nationaliMii  to  wliidi  n  fcrcn.c  ha-  hccn  made,  an.l 
which  tnirtur.  d  the  theorie-  of  r.  litrjou-  freedom  an<l  the 
ri;;hts  of  civil  government.  Throudi  Wycjitfe  and  IIu-  the 
prote-t  ;iu^un>t  th.'  temporal  claim-  .if  the  i'apa<\  pa»ed  into 
the  keepin::  <<(  the  sixteenth  (cntury  I{. former-.  \'i\  O.k- 
ham's  coiira-eon-  impeacliHicnt  ua- exceeded  l.y  that  of  lii- 
pupil  Mar-i-lio(ie  Mainardino'lJTO  \:;\2  .S\  ho'-e"  j  )efen.or 
I'aei-  wa-  the  mo-t  ori-inal  i)oiitical  treati-e  o(*the  Middle 
A,i;e-.      .\-  the  title  in.iicai.  >.  it  ua-  intended  to  e-tal»lish  the 

coiiconl  of  -u,  iciy  upon  a    let ratic  ha^i     niaintaininu  that 

the  -oiirce  ,,f  lau  ua-  in  the  people  them-clv.-,  uho  -houid 
elect  thechirf  cN.cutivcof  til.  tion,  he  the  judj;e-  of  hi-  .id- 
mini-tratioii.  and  if  it  were  foun.i  errant  or  (  orru|)t.  hold  him 
liahl.'  for  it-  failure-  ;,iid  crime-.  Th.'  fi.  titiou-  -upremacy 
oi  the  l'apac>  ua-  denoiuiced  a-  flic  rent  of  the  trouhle- 
whidi  allli.ted  til.'  >tatc;  the  I'ope.  hi.  l.i-liop-  and  cier^ry. 
were  denied  all  riirht  to  promultratc  inteniict-  or  exconi- 
numicatioii-,  or  in  an.\  wa'  id  l-t  ii|ion  the  oh-ervance  of 
what  they  dcetiu-l  tli.  ii\  iic  |a^^.  Tlli-  |)ower  was  \c-t<'d 
III  the  Chiirrh  a|..iH  .irtin-  ill  unitv  and  with  the  eon-eiit 
of  tlucntirc  \n„h  ,,f  l,elic\cr-.  and  to  that  eti.l  (u-ueral 
<  nuiicil-  ou.uht  to  !.c  rompo-cd  ,f  cleric-  an<l  laymen  alike. 
'I'll.'  Uihie  ua-  the  -n|.  authority  of  faith  and  doctrine,  and 
I'apal  clecree-  -hoiiM  lie  -iil.j.cted  to  it-  teachiiijjs.  .Such 
wa>  the.iuality  of  .Mar  i-li.i'- pica  for  eon-tilutional  freedom, 
which  irave  iiitn  a  i)rior  claim  tn  ijie  h r-  afterward-  he- 
stowed   on    WyclitVe:     indeed,    in    the   Imll   directed   aj;ain-t 

'  \l,,r-ilM|.    ..f   I'.hIm,,   i.  .l,-in..-:.;.i„-.|   l.x    ,!„■  l„.-t   ,,111..  I,..,,,   .M;,r-i^.|i.. 


.^j;^ 


.11)1  IN     W  ^CI.IKFK 


50 


the  Miiuli>li  M  lii>iii:itic.  (int,'(.rv  \l  declared  tliiit  t!ir  ..crc- 
>i('s  of  the  Mct'driiuT  liiit  rcproriitcd  with  a  iVw  terms 
(•liiiii;;cd  '  tlic  iiiTMTtcd  ()|iiriiiin~  iiiid  itiiKiniiit  dnctriiir  of 
^la^sil;li(^  of  daiimcd  iin'iiKiry,  and  nl'  Inlm  i,\'  .laiidiin  " 
\{t  this  t'.Nccrati'd  thinker  alone  divined  the  -ecret  of  an 
aice  iini)nrn,  and  laid  down  in  all  <'sM'ntiaU  tin  |)riii(i|)lr^ 
whieh  were  to  mold  the  politieal  institutions  ot'  the  di-^tani 
future.' 


Ill 

The  strange  ne<,'l<'ir  Nvhii  h  -eeined  to  follow  these  men  in 
their  ^'ra\r-  prevented  an\  jii-t  api)rai-al  of  Mar~i;:lio'> 
-er\  iee^.  The  (  neinie-  of  Koi^er  l5aeon.  the  mo■^t  illn>trion- 
l'-n;;li--h  ><  hojar  and  thinker  of  hi>  day,  wiio  moved  heaven 
and  earth  to  iimie  into  direct  rontaf  t  with  realitv  ,  aimo>t 
-UiM'eeded  in  de-trovin^  hi-  repnt:ition.  and  otilv  within  a 
eomi)arativ  I  |v  reei  iit  period  ha-  it  emerged  from  a  loni; 
eclipse.  >imiiarl>.  in  the  ca-e  of  W'velilfe.  iii-  vojnminou.-' 
work-,  with  few  exception-,  remained  in  mann-cript  for 
over  live  hnndrecj  \car-.  liven  imw  man>  of  tlieni  are  -till 
niiiiulili-hed.  and.  -o  f,ir  a-  tlieir  pn-cni  iniere-i  i-  concerni'il, 
are  likelv  to  remain  -o.  l!non:;h  have  liccn  re-cncd  Ironi 
oiilivion.  however,  to  -how  that  he  -tood  in  a  phiio-ophical 
secpieiiee  to  the  -eliolar-  alreadv    named. 

Although  the  ^'reat  movement  wliich  had  ilhimin.iti  <l 
the  -i)irituaiitie-  of  life  from  the  time  of  .\n-elm  and  .VKailard 
virluallv  cmled  with  Wv.hllf.  it  ncvcrthele—  retaine.l  -iitii- 
cient  virtnc  in  cn.dile  him  to  rank  .1-  a  learned  i  Icrk  ver-ed 
in  the  lali>  nnthnic  winding;-  of  sehola-tic  philo-ophv . 
'I'he  majorit;.  of  In  predcct— or-  were  m  aniinou-  in  tin  ir 
devotion  to  till-  I'apac  Imt  that  allei:ian( e  w,-i-  now  -liakcn 
and   the   Holy  ."^ec  opcnl      a--ai!ei|.     Tin-  ho-tilitv    v\a-  one 

ailloIlL'   other    -vmptoin-    "I     llie    re-tle--ne-    wiiieli    perv.-idecl 
Oxford     and     I'ari-     ami     \v,i-     eiieoiirar.   i     m     tiie     l-rnar 

\l-    I'llMi.i       It O-...,  \iviL.:    ill.       I    Ui-  I  .11      ; 


I' 


I 


GO 


TllHKK    ItKLKJlOU.s    LKADlMts   OK   OXKOKD 


•f 


and    rfprcssfd    in    the    latt.r    lnivtr>ifN ,      At    I'aris    the 
tluolo^ians  wt-rr  at  tlu-ir  wit-Cn.l  t..  ,,nu.t   tl...  ,lo„l,ts  ami 
i\uvsU<mmns  ul,i,.|,  f.Tnuntrd  Inn.-atl,  a  ...rn.t  and  pro.aic 
M.rtau-.     ()xr,.r,|.  with  th.    r.-t  nf  Kn^dand.  .nj-.v.-d  innnu- 
nity   tn.in  thr  tt-rmrs  .,f  tl,,.    ln.,n,Mtinn,  whi.h   wm-    un- 
kM.mn   tluT.-  until    IF.nry    l\     n-rdrd    the   s„,,p..rt   of  tlu- 
<  Ininh     iHva.iM.    of    hi-     lH.,lnnd..,l     titif    to    tlu-    cnmn 
I  >;•   I  nivrrMty   wa>  th.T.fnn-  nndt'trrr..!   in   tln.M.  .-..nrso^ 
wlM.h  n.>p.rnl  an.l  r.  ih,  t.d  th.-  national  will.     II.t  do.tors 
wm.  not  only  rxponndrrs  and   drtVn.hT^    of    ni..taphv.i.s  ■ 
th.y   won.    alM.    thr    or.an    voi.-,..    ,.f    tl,,.    ....ular    K-ivcTn- 

nu-nt  and  its  .lai.ns.     Thn,  whil.  Latin  S,-h,.!a>ti..iMn  was 
t..r   pohtxal   r..a>on,   pr..v,.ntfd    from   .......pvinK  thr  wider 

;'"d  rnor..  ^rnnindy  intrllr.tnal  int.Tfst^.  thV  Knjriish  tvp,- 
i"<r..aMnKly    a>>iniilat..,l    an   ind..p,.nd..n.v   ..vokcd    l.v  "tlu- 
events  ,.t  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  .enturies 

\Ny.hHV  turned  thi>  rendition^  of  allairs  to  ^r,„„|  ,„,,,„„t . 
the   unen,l.arra>sed   ,>pe.„lative  and   pra.ti.al   f.ndeneies  of 
IM>  hie  as  a  s,i,olar  .pIlM-t   to  >„„,.•  ext(..,t   the  .liffieultv   he 
exper.eneed  ,n  deaiin,'  with  a    de.a.lent    system    whi,l,"was 
rapi.lly   deKen.ratnm    into   a    philn>ophi.  al   .|narr..|      While 
this    Mtuation    torl.ade   originality,    it    drov,.    hin,    to   other 
sl.her,.>  ot  m.pnry.  in  wl,i.  h  he  was  the  fonnd-r  of  a  MhonI 
"t   ln>  own.  the  <hief  anthoritie.  of  w|,i<h  wer.'  (he  |'atl„.rs 
"f   '!"•  •■nrly  Chunh.     ]U    pos^-.^.d   in  an   unus.iai   de^-r.-e 
thepovvrrol  >'iz>n,i;  upon  i,„d  adapting  the  produets  of,  rea- 
t.u.  m.n.j.  ,n  sn.h  a  manner  a.  to  -e.  ure  f.,r  ih.  n.  a  favor- 
"I'l-    i.-arn,^,      Hi^  lea.lin;;  idea.  u,.re  nth,  r  n    .  ..,,„.nt.  ,.r 
"><"l'»".'t.o.,.  of  tra,litio„;    his  n.inor  pr.M.ipl...  „,.r,    truth. 
re,„ver,.,|  from  l,mt:  ,.l,..„r.ty.     II..  a.t,,!  uitho.it  the  pre,  ,- 
'l.'Mt.  he  atror,l,..|   ,.,   liu.  an,l   in  this  seuM-  he  mas    here- 
garde,!  as  a  ,lis,n\cr(.r.' 

A.    hetsse,.,,    the    |{,-ah>t.    ai„l    the    Nominalist-    WsrMr 
stoo,l  w,th  th..  forna.r.  ath.-it   sv„h  -,.m,.  .  ..n.  ..»ion,  t".,  ihe 

ol,je.t.,,m-  „r-...|  In    tl„.  „pp„MnK  m],,,..].      His  p.,si,i„n  sva^ 


.1  \\>,i,ir,. 


p.  i: 


:'i^-'~^^' 


.lOJIN    WVCMKKK 


()1 


a  protest  uKaiiist  tin-  cxtravaKaii.ts  „r  tlu-  Sootists  uii.l  of 
the    rcviscl    Nominalism   ..C   Ockham;     for   his   tliorouKh- 
KoiiiK  .hsposition  the  Mil.stratum  of  tlu-ir  crmls  was  uii  im- 
IJossihihty.     His    IN.ali.m.    ,|„„inh    m.Mli(i,..l,    ran    n.uhter 
to  any  theory  ..f  illusion;    1,,-  aMril),-,]   reajitv    to    mental 
ideas,  and  denied  the  >nl.je.(i\  i,m  uiii.h  treated  them  as 
mere  phantoms  of  the  imagination.'     The  l{eali>ts'  faith  in 
the  vah.hty of  knowhd-e  «;,.  >;ron;Hl.d  upon  reason  and  u\mi 
the  actuality  of  the  oi.j.rtiv,.  u,,rM.     Hut  realitv  also  per- 
tains to  suhjective  .oMMioiiMir...  and  it  is  only  when  hoth 
are  taken  intoacruunt  that  a  rcc.Hciliation  can  he  effected. 
Wyclilfc'.  .hutrinc  of  the  Mcity  showed  a  haniiiK  toward 
that  [)hihK..phi(al  I'aMthciMii  u  hich  ciiara.  t.-rizd  all  varieties 
of  Kcalism.      -Cud  i,  all  an,l   in  all,      Kv.ry  exi^tiiiK  thinj; 
IS  m  reality  (i.,, I  it„.|f.  for  every  .nature  which  .an  he  name.l 
IS,  111  repir.l  to  it.  '  int.lli-il,ie.'  an.l  .  nMMU|u.ntlv  its  chief, 
existence,    in    reality    the    u.,nl    ,,f    ';,„!."      I'er.eivin;;    tlu' 
dangerous  >i.h'  of  these  pr..p..Htion^  he  ani.n.h.l  them   hv 
a(hlin>r,  M.meuhat    ilh.-i.ally,  that   they   p,\e   •„,,  ,.,,l„r  to 
the    eonchision    that  esery  .reature   uhat^KVer    is   C,,,]"- 
The   will   of  (;,,.l    -is    Hi.  e^MMtial   an.l   et.r.ial    nature   hv 
which  all  Misa.tsar...let,.rmine.l.-     Cn.ati.,,!  ,>  ,  .m.liiioneil 
hy  It,  and  is  neither  an  arhitnir\   -el.,  ti.m  nor  a  [)rocess  „f 
emanations,  hut  the  only  pu..\UU-  univers..  an.l  an  immediate 
\V(.rk  at  a  specific  time.     Tin.  wa.  .lire.tlv  c..iitrarv  to  th.- 

affirmation  of  the  S,„ti,t.  that  (hmI  ,|,.e."uMt  .1 ',e  to  -h. 

anythiiiK'  hecause  it  is  hcst,  hut  that  uhat.ver  Ih-  ,|„e.,  is 
hest  solely  hecaus,-  He  plea.Ms  t..  .1..  it.  He  re-anled  Divine 
()mnii)otence  a.  M'lf-<l,.termine.l  an.l  morallv  rejrulated  In 
the  inner  laws  „f  (Jod's  \U\u;:.  (hnniMien.r  ar^'ucs  an 
eternal  Now:  that  which  i>  to  he  in  point  of  time  is  an.! 
ever  was  in  relation  to  the  Supreme  .Min.I.     Ilis  di.scussion 


m\ 


14(1  "■  "■  ^^"''""^"'-    ■■'■'"■  '•'""  "<  '•»■  l!.f-r,na.in„":    V„l    1,  p,,   i;i„ 


02        TUHKK    HKLKMOIS    KKADKRS   OK   OXKOKD 


I 


(if  till'  Trinity  proccctlcd  mi  lines  laid  dovvii  in  part  Ity  tin- 
I'atlitTs  iiml  in  part  \t\  tlic  StluMiiiiirii.  Its  main  interest 
centers  in  the  iloctrine  of  tin-  Son  as  tlie  I-o^os,  the  sub- 
stantive WOnI;  an  inclusive  tiieory  which  eni))race(l  all 
'"realities  that  are  intelli^il)!*'.  '  that  is,  ea|)al)le  of  l»ein>; 
reali/.«'(l  in  thonjrlit,  anil  of  which  the  l,oj;os  was  the  ineiliatin^ 
element  or  memluT  l>etwe»ii  (loil  anil  the  I  inverse.' 

He  coniprorniseil  on  tlu'  (piestion  of  predestination  and 
free-will,  usin^  for  the  purpose  the  .\ri>totelian  distinc- 
tion hetwcen  that  which  is  ahsolutely  neces>ar\  and  that 
which  is  ni(es>ary  on  a  pven  snpi)osition.  When  he  faced 
the  fact  of  >in  in  the  li^'ht  of  lii>  own  statement  that  (IikI 
wills  only  that  which  has  heint;,  he  replied  that  sin  was  the 
ne^iatioii  of  hein^'  and  therefore  could  not  he  willed  by  the 
l)eit.\,  Wiio  necessitated  men  in  tlu-ir  di-eds,  which,  in  them- 
M-lves,  wt-re  neither  riirlit  nor  wronj;,  and  took  of  morality 
'Illy  throujrli  man's  use  of  tlieiii  liy  means  of  hi^  free  aj;ency."- 
(ere  \N.\clilVe  forxiok  the  teacliiii>;  of  'I'hoinas  Uradwardine 
J!M»-i:M«.t),  the  "  Doctor  IVofundis"  with  whom  he  had  an 

(licet  iial  kin>hip  to  which  the  devehipment  of  his  own  ideas 

IS  indelitiil. 

Hradwardine's  importance  has  been  overlooked  by  modern 
\  riters,  and  he  deserves  more  than  a  passinj;  rt'ference. 
""    MiidiT  does  not  mention  him  and  (lieseler  does  so  only 

inisi  i-triic  his  teachin^r.  More  recently,  however,  such 
ithor  as  Lechler  and  Workman  have  j;iven  him  the  at- 

I  merits.     He    was  a   native  eitli«T  of   Hartiield 

i  .    (    ,    or   of    (liichoter,    and   a    student    at    Merton 

'  "1  '(••  in  \''V2'>,  the  year  when  the  I'liiversity  was  lar>;ely 
freed  ironi  the  control  of  the  Uishoixif  Lincoln,  IJradwardine 
wa-  apiMiintcd  its  proctor.  In  l:!;!!l  he  became  chai)laii>  and 
coiifcsMir  to  I'dward  the  Third,  whom  he  accoiii|)anied  to 
the  Krcncli  \\ar>.  Ili>  ciirnotiios  and  benevolence  pro- 
cured for  him  the  .\r(  hbi-hopric  of  Canterbury,  to  which 


■C.    v.    I.crlil.T:  W\rlilT.>    MM<I    Iri-    i:ilL'li-.|l    l'r.T,|rs,  ,|s ' '  ;      |,. 

-  Kiicudniniitiii    lir, iiiiin, III.  \i    Kdiiiiiii,  .\rtiilt-  (HI    Wjilille. 


JOHN    WYCI.IKKK 


ih'i 


\\v  as(rii«lf(l  uii>ullic<l  \>\  tin-  ^li;:litc-I  -tiiiii  nf  Mlfi-lmcs-;  or 
worldly  aiiiliitioii.  Al'ttr  :i  jdiinicy  to  Avignon  to  rtcrivf 
coiisfcmtioii,  he  rctnniid  fu  l.oiiilon  only  to  l>c  >tiiitt(ii  with 
the  Hlack  l)«'atli  at  Laiiiltith  l';ilii(c.  wlicrc  lie  dicil  on 
Aiimist  I'd,  \:',\<).  I'.w  pnlato  lia\f  licfii  >.>  widely  and 
deservedly  loveil  and  esteemed;  lii>  nntinaiy  decease  was 
a  national  sorrow  in  wliicli  kinj;.  InnU.  and  people  alike 
shared.  A  spiritual  awakeniiii;  he  had  e\p<rieiieed  while 
still  a  stndt-nt  at  Oxford  repiierated  hi>  entire  life,  and 
was  the  x'cret  s|)rinu  of  his  rehi;ion>  iri-i(;ht  and  moral 
distinction.  Antieipatin;;  Mun.xan  and  Wedey.  he  narrated 
this  visitation  in  \vord>  of  the  heart.  aMrihin;;  his  <(»nver- 
sion  to  elective  jrrace  rather  than  to  hi>  own  volition. 
"So  then,"  he  (pioted  from  St.  I'anls  Kpistle  to  the 
IJonians,  "it  is  not  in  him  that  wiileth.  nor  in  him  that 
runneth,  hut  in  (lod  that  >hn\\(th  mercy."  It  i>  hardly  sur- 
prising that  his  tiieolo;;y  was  i)rnfoimilly  neccssitari;in ;  his 
treatise  "  De  ('ansa  I  »ei "  hecaine  the  fountain  of  .Vn^licaii 
Calvinism,  which  asx-rti'd  that  in  the  act  of  sjn  there  is 
a  eoiiiplete  exclusion  of  freedom  of  clini(  c,  ^huv  the  K\tT- 
lastinj;  Will  infallihly  ilctiTinincs  man's  conduct,  and  con- 
se(|uently  human  free  will  ha^  no  existence. 

This  was  too  radical  for  \\,\clill'c,  who  ohjcctcd  that  anv 
criminal,  however  <lesperate  ami  wickcil,  would  he  justified 
in  sayinj;  "(lod  determines  me  to  ,iil  these  ait-  of  trans- 
jiression,  in  onler  to  pcrfe<  t  the  hcauty  of  the  Itiixfrse."  ' 
Such  a  conclusion  totall,\  condemned  the  snp|insition>  from 
which  it  was  drawn.  Ilcnc,  aitlioui;h  iiillucncd  l)\  the 
ohdurate  predestination  theory  wlii.li  was  cmlicdded  in 
Uradwardim-'s  theo|o;.fy.  Wv.lin'e  swcrxcij  fn.m  its  more 
pronounced  position,  and  while  he  airrced  with  the  Arcii- 
hishop  that  excrythini;  whicli  takes  placi  docs  s,,  ,,f  neces- 
sity, and  further,  that  tlic  l)i\ine  Heim,'  cooperates  in  all 
actions  of  tlic  iiiunan  will  to  the  extent  of  determining'  them, 
he  trii'd  to  sa\c  man's  freedom  of  <  hoice  from  an>   prejudice 

'  Qll.,tc,J  l,y  (;.    \.    |,r,|,l,-i  :        I),.   1) ,„,,,   Dp.  i;„,      ,     1,   ,■     l,',.    ,,     ..,,.-,. 


4^ 


ill. 


ik  ■' 


I 


'Bl^f^Er^,.V*,^«*-4.H,r  -  7-»5tiE'*»-v 


":<>=   '  -;  -.a  ; 


i'A 


TIIUKK    HKLKJIOIJH   LKADEKS  OF   OXFORD 


<liio  to  tlw  roo,HTutioii.  In  particular  he  repudiate*!  the 
urhitrary  notion  that  if  any  niati  sins  it  is  (mkI  Himself  who 
'It-t.-miiiu's  him  to  thf  act.  contctuliriK  that  the  motive 
which  pr..rn|)t-  the  evil  ,|,r.l.  an.l  is  the  main  element  of 
transjjression,  did  not  proceed  from  God. 


I, 


IV 

Wyclitr.-'s  uniciuc  contribution  to  later  medieval 
thonj;lit  IS  found  in  his  treatises  "De  Dominio  Divino" 
an.l  -De  Dominio  Civiii."  The  former  was  an  extension 
of  Kuhard  lit/ralph's  phrase  tliat  "dominion  is  foun.le.l 
ui  frrace"  and  the  latter  a  corollary  of  the  fc.rnier.  Fitz- 
ralph,  who  has  already  hcen  (px.tcd  in  rcf.-reiice  to  the  a>;e 
<.l  the  undcrKraduatcs  of  Oxfor.l,  uas  a  fellow  of  Halliol 
(oilcKe  about  the  year  l.VJi),  apix.inted  Chancellor  of  the 
I  mvcrsity  m  i;;;i:!,  and  in  1;JJ7  consecrated  .\rchl)ishop  of 
.XrniaKh.  lie  employed  his  theory  as  a  weajx.n  to  assail 
the  -ranciscan  doctrine  of  evanplical  poverty,  ar^uinj;  that 
to  al>jiir.-  all  hol.liuK  of  proiMTty  was  to  run  counter  to  the 
laws  p.v.rninf;  so.ial  r.lations.  and  also  to  those  In-tween 
God  and  man.  In  this  Wydilfe  favored  the  austeritv  of 
Ockham  and    tlu-   IVaticelli    as    apiinst    Titzralph's  iiiter- 

l""'"'"* I'urther.   \Vy<  iitle's   treatment    of  lordship  was 

powerfully  allc.tcd  by  AuKUstin-'s  views  .>n  the  nature  of  sin. 
A<-cor.lmK  to  these  "sin  is  nothing,  and  men.  when  tliev  .sin. 
be<ome  nothing.  Kvil  i.  a  negation  and  those  who 'vicld' 
themselves  to  it  <ease  to  retain  any  iH.sitive  existence, 
nearly,  then,  they  .an  possess  nothing',  can  h.>ld  no  lor.lship. 
lliat  whi.l,  they  seem  t..  p..,sess  is  n.)  real  or  projMT  pos.ses- 
sM.u  at  all;  it  is  but  the  unjust  hol.linf;  of  that  whi.l.  they 
must  one  day  r.st..r.'  to  the  rij:ht.-..us.  '  From  him  that 
hath  shall  !>.•  taken  cv.-n  that  whi.h  he  seemeth  t.)  have.' 
.\s  thus  the  wi<k..|  hath  nothinjr.  so  on  the  other  hand  the 
njrlitcou^  is  lord  of  all  thiiiK>."  ' 

'  Wuo.cl  u,  ■  .Su,,:.l  Liiglaaa,-  V„l.  U.  „p.  u\S   l.il .  ejiu-d  by  H.  U.  TruiU. 


■Jt^^P 


JOHN    WYfLIFKK 


05 


VNydiffi-'s  (listu>M..ii  <,f  this  anil  <-<»rrfs|M.ii.linK  matttTs 
IS  still  ill  manuscript  f..riii.  tho  cuily  i-xtaiit  <opN  ,,f  which  is 
k«'|)t  at  \iciina.     It  Hllcl  thnr  volumes,  which  were  prc- 
hmmary  to  his  major  ami  collective  work,  the-  '■Summa  ii: 
The(.loKia."     lA-rMvr  rep,r.ls  these  volumes  as  tiie  i.i.lica- 
tion  of  his  transition  from  th..  philosophical  to  the  strictly 
theoloKual  phas*-  of  hi>  ,an-er.  an.l  it  is  conjecture.l  that  he 
wrote  them  shortly  after  he  had  .oinplete.l   his  stii.li.s  in 
theology    at    the    Iniversity.     The    confemporarv    .lisputes 
U-tween  I'hihp  the  Fair  an<l   I'o|m.  Honifacr  \  ill.  an.l  Ih- 
tween  the  KmiHTor  Louis  of  Mavaria  an<l  I'o|m-  John  XXM 
riiKe.!  aroun.l  tia-  ve.v.l  (juctioiis  of  I'apal  suj.r.inacv  over 
the  Mate,  an.l  thus  .lirc.tly  .-oncerncl  lor.lship  or  .|..mini..n 
Ihese   (piarrels    may    have    Imtu    a    c.ntril.utinjj   cause    in 
.leterminmn    Wydiir.'s    views    wiU.    n^anl    to    l.,r.M,ip- 
an..ther  cause  was  tlu'  c..Mtr..versy  of  the  IIolv  See  with  the 
Spiritual   Krancis,-ans,  wh.)  s..u>;ht  to  .tifonr  that  rul.-  ..f 
their  onh-r  whi.h  f..rl)a.le  it  t..  h..l.l  citlur  jHTsonal  or  c..r- 
Jiorale  pro|H-rty.     Out  of  this  .jisput.-  ar..se  th.^  larger  iss„e 
whether  or  not  Christ  an.l  His  Ap.,stles  ha.l  in.livi.luallv  or 
collectively  auth..ri/e.l   such   a    rc^-ulation.     The  ol.liKati..,, 
of  povertx    as  a   vow   of  the  men.li.ant   friars  .lashe.l  with 
the  iH.hcy  of  John  XXII,  who  p,rs..nally  was  far  renmve.l 
from  such  .Irastic  rernm.iations.  an.l  .leclare.l  apiinst  them 
m  a  .si'ries  ..f  hulls  ending  in  the  senten.-e  of  cx.-ommunica- 
tlon  up.>n  those  wh.>  .)pp.)se.|   his  .le.isioii. 

Whatever  was  th<-  cHVct  ..f  these  events  upon  Wvcliff,. 
there  is  ampl.-  proof  that  he  gave  pn-lonp-.l  consi.leration 
to  the  ^'eneral  .|U.-sti..n  an.l  carried  it  f..rwar.l  int..  a 
l.ractical  communism,  the  ,)erils  ..f  whi.h  were  somewhat 
nutip.te.l  hy  his  impli.ation  ..f  l..r.lship  with  servi.r  I,,  his 
opunon  ,-a.h  was  essential  t..  th.-  ..ther.  Th.-  L..r.lship  of  (',.,,1 
JIunself  JH-pin  ..nly  when  II.^  .reatiMl  l,ein«s  to  |M-rf.,rm  His 
servKT.  More..v.r.  the  Supnine  Lor.lship  was  .listinKuishe.l 
fn.m  that  of  man  l.y  th.  fa.t  ..f  its  .|.,mii.ati..n  ov.t  ail  crea- 
tures, an.l  hy  the  same  c..n.liti..ii  of  s.Tvicc ;   f„r  cvcrv  liviii"  1 


111 


^lii^ii^ 


<»<»         IIIUKK    Ull.iciors    l.i:\|)KK.s   (»K   (.\K((|{I) 


\ 


iHitij:  ..ur,  ,.  lu  Im,  (;,„|  , r,,.  nj,,,  ^^j,,,  ,,j^  ^^,^,^,^,  ,^  ^^^^^ 

<..h|  ri,|,.>  ,„,!  ni..|i,,i,|.\  i|,rn.,-l,  d,,.  nil,-  „f  va^s.ls  w|,„ 
>^rNr  |Im„.  .,,  ,,tl,.r  kiia-hni.l  lur.MMp.  .j,,.-.-  in.mnliatrlv 
iHHl  nl  |(h„„.||-  II,.  „Mk.-..  >.,,|,M.,^.  m..l  ^uvrrn-  all  ,i,.,t  ujii.i, 
II.'  |M.>M  ,„  ~.  i.iMl  .,,,i,t.  it  In  prrlnrin  it>  «,,rk^  ii.v,,r,|ii,>; 
I.,  nih.r  nM>  uhi.l,  II,.  r..,i,ir,.,.- '  .\„r  ,|„.,  ||,.  ^,i,,. 
a|^^  InnM,,,,  ,u  ,„y  „t  Hi.  .rvai.t.  ••..v.,.,  ||,.  (ir>t  dv 
IIiiiimIi  III  ilii.iii.  " 

Til.  [.riiH-ipl,.  that  in  tl...  ,iul.t  „f  (mhI  .,11  III...,  ar..  <'(,iial 
lii'<l  li<<ii  n..,.uMi/.J  In.iii  .ariv  tiiii,.- ;  l.iit  WvilitlV,  ii,,t 
'■'.""""  '"  '"•'^''  "  '"  '!"•  -I'li'T..  ..f  ..nliiii.nt,  l.uilt  It  int,. 

"^   I'"'""  ■'I    I'liil I'in.      In    r.ii.lal    |.lira.....|..KN    l„.   u„ui,| 

li"v..  >ai.|  th.it  all  iii.t,  ImM  fruin  (;.„|  ,.„  ,|„.  ,;,„„.  ,,.r„„  „f 
><T\i.....  I  mm  thi.  I„.  arKii..,l  tlial  tli,.  >taii,lii,^'  ulnVI,  a 
H'iin  Ini.  I..lnr,.  (i.,.|  i,  ,!„.  ,rii,ri.-i,  l.\  ul.i.h  lii>  |M,sit,„ii 
i"i"<.ii«  III.  11  iiiii.t  l„.  .|,.|,.nMii,..,|.  \(  tlimii^l,  t^all.K^<■^>i..ll 
"  "Mil  I'.rf.ii.,!  hi.  ,|ivi,i,  ,,ri^i|, :,.,.,,  ,1,,.,,  ,,,•  „..,..  -,itv  hi. 
t<iii|...ral  prixil..;:,..  al...  u.r..  |,.  -       Kv,.,,  ,h,.  I',,,,,,  hiiiis.-lf 

It  I'l-ralK    iiii...,ii„l.  r,.tai.,..|  h,.  riulit  .,f  h.r.Mii |.,„K..r.' 

Ih'  .iilir,.  ih...in  uas  att,,.h,..|  t..  tlu-  arti.l.-  that  fli,. 
<r..aliir..  .,,mI.I  |.r.„l.i,..  i,.,thinji  s.\..  uhat  (mm]  lia.j  .ilr.a.iy 
«T<at...l.  An.Mhiii;;  II,.  i;raMt...|  t..  Ili>  .,.r\ai.ts  wa.  fir.t  a 
!>■•'"  ..f  IliiiiHlf.  an.l  ul„.„  lM..tM«,..l  II..  «a.  >till  mi/.  r.,i„ 
i'M.I  r..tain...l  tli.-  iiltimat..  .li.|M.>iii,„i  ..f  th..  -ift.  it  r.,ll,.«,.,| 
lr..iii  .1,1,  ihat  tl„.  |)ivi,„.  |,.r,M,ip  ua.  f,.r..v.  r  aii.l  i„  all 

n-|M..t.   Mipr.111,.,   an.l    that    „| it    hiiiiiaii    l..r.Miip    ua. 

.I.IHii.l.nt.  M.n  h.l.l  ul,ai..v..r  ih.'v  ha.l  r,....-iv...l  fr,,,,, 
(....I  as  .t..«ar.U.  an.l  if  |n,„„i  laithl.-.  .-..iij.!  ju.tiv  1... 
<l«-pnv..,|  ,.r  uhat  iiia.v  I..  ,all..,|  ih.ir  fi..f.  A  .nl.tl..  .Ii>ti,„.- 
tKMi  «a.  iiia.l..  h,tu,,n  h,nM,ip  an.l  a.tiial  ..wiMT^hip . 
n.-thiiii:  ..r  tl...  Inrin.r  ua^  .,|  ih..  naiiir..  ..|'  pr..p,.rtv  f..r 
pr..p..rly  ua.  tl,..  n.^iilt  ..f  -in  ,  I,.,,,-..  (  hrist  an.l  tli.'  Ap..>tl..s 
w.'iiM  ha\.'  n.iii..  .,!'  it, 

Wv.litr,.   in.i    ,1,..   ,,|,^i,„„   I Il.iii,,    ,!,_„    .,11    „„.,,    ^^,,^^. 


'    '     I  '•■    I  '•■llilliM    I  >1\  llio         I 

IP    !'.-■  ii..;. 


.|il.,lr.|     iJi 


■111   l;iii;l.iii.|,"    \(.|.   11, 


.M»ii\  \v^(•|.|^•|••^: 


fi7 


lialtlc  to  <lis|M»--<->iim  fur  liriii«  h  .,1  tmurr,  in  that  all  lucl 
>iiiin  .1.  I.y  iifKiii^  that  hi>  ih.nt  ri(|iii  .1  a  piirf  MM-ial  i.lial, 
and.  while  in  iniiial  pra.tirc  "cii.niiiiion  \\a>  «lriii<.|  t<i  thr 
wickfil,  power  iiiii;hl  !..•  |H'nnitti'<i  i.>  them  in  whieh  <liri-- 
tian>  >hiinlil  -iilmtil  Cmim  iiintive.  (.!'  nlxihenee  to  (mm|." 
His  «'ina>enlatei|  eii|irhl-<ii>ii  Wii-  i|lliik|v  -ei/eii  npnn  li\ 
ii|>|Miiu'nt>,  iMir  eiMiJil  Wv.hUe  prev.  i,i  it  Ouin  pa-in^'  itver 
into  an  all^nrllit.\ . 

'I'he  |iara.l(.\ii:il  nature  ..I'  thi^  purl  nf  tlie  aru'ninent  did 
nut  interlVrt'  with  it>  pneral  apphrntini,  lu  the  ('hnreh  a> 
the  standard  f.l'  niiiversil  faith  and  inonl-.  WulilVe 
ak;n-ed  with  Oekhani'.  ennteiitii.n  thai  die  >h..Mld  hohl  n<> 
pmiHTty.  \U  iiru'ed  that  eiid..wiiieiit>  had  an  iiijiiric.ii> 
elVeet  hy  in\i.l\iiiu:  In  r  in  tenipural  ;ilV,iir-.  Her  wnrk 
lay  within  th.  -phere  nl'  the  >i,iil.  mimI  her  inlliienee 
•«huiild  l.e  restricted  lu  ^piriiiiid  Miperv  i  iun.  lie  rejected 
the  policy  of  Ilildel>nind  and  lii^  ^u,  ((--or-.  declnriiiK  that 
the  ra|).icy  had  iiothiii;;  to  i|o  with  ei\il  puerninent. 
and  that  it  oi-uiht  to  regain  it-  old  idiMl  of  Niipreniaey 
over  men  ^  heart-  and  cnii-ejciNe- :  "for  to  govern  tempo- 
ral |M.-.M's-.ioiw  after  .1  ci\il  niaiiiier.  to  eoiM|iitT  kiiipjoni- 
and  exact  tril.iite,  appertain  to  e;irtlily  lord-hip.  not  to  the 
i'oiH' ;   -i>  that  if  he  p.i>-  l.\  ;iMd  -et  a-ide  the  olliec  ,,f  spiritual 

rule,  and  entan^rle  him-elf  in  tlio ihcr  coiitern-  his  work  i-< 

not  only  >nperlliioii>  hut  aUo  contr.iry  to  ||o|y  Scrijiture.""  ' 
Me  further  .leclared  that  it  u.i-  the  duty  of  the  State  to 
vindiejite  it-  rit:ht  of  control  over  it-  own  atVair-.  Terri- 
torie-  and  revenue-  held  l.\  the  (  hiinli  -hoiild  re\ iTt  to  the 

nation.     The  likelil I  of  the  Church'-  ret.diation  n|>on  it- 

|)hinderi'r>  led  to  hi-  wclJ-knowM  utter.iiice  on  the  matter  of 
excomimmication.  If  -he  -houM  u-c  -iich  a  wcipoii,  it 
e<aild  he  of  no  cllcct  uiile--  l.\  hi-  own  -i,,  ;,  i,,..,,,  |,;„|  ,.^. 
eomimmic-ateil  him-elf  and  <iit  hiin-elf  oil'  from  all  -piritiial 
eoinimmion.  No  ixtcrnal  decree  pronoiiniinLC  -piritual 
haiii.-htiient    cmilil    overcome   a    man'-   coii-cioii-ne—   of    hi- 

'  ■■|)i'  l»..lMMM..(n,|,       1.   I,-    ,, ,,,,,.,!  ,,,      -,,   1,1  (,:i-l,u..|        \..l     II,  |,     nil. 


I'M 


f 


m 


1 
I 

I 


tiM 


\^im^^^. 


MICROCOPY    RESOIUTION    TEST   CHART 

.ANSI  ond  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    21 


1.0 


I.I 


IrK  ilM 

«^l^     |||||Z2 
"    1^     ill  10 


1.8 


11.25   iu 


1.6 


^     APPLIED  IfVWGE     Ir 

"*gS         (■"6)    *B*:    -  0500  -  P^-ne 


68 


THREK    UELKJIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


loiitimiatioM  in  a  state  of  .iivine  gract>.  Wycliffc  tudiously 
avoided  saying  anything  derogatory  to  the  reigning  Pope 
On  the  contrary,  lie  expressed  liimself  in  terms  of  loyalty, 
but  with  the  reservation  that  such  loyalty  did  not  obviate 
the  duty  of  resistance  to  the  Pontiff  if  his  claims  were  in 
contravention  of  Holy  Writ. 

The   readiness   with    which   he   passed    from    scholastic 
theology    to    complicated    political    and    social    conditions 
showed  that  in'^tinct  and  feeling  were  the  trusted  guides  of 
his  mind.     He  occasionally  forgot  that  the  logic  of  meta- 
physics was  one  thing  and  the  logic  of  life  another.     His 
lack  of  moileration  and  his  contentment  with  a  technically 
correct  dialectic  sometimes  betrayed  him    into  an  unreal 
and  almost  fantastic  discourse,  in  which  he  viewed  the  issue 
at  stake  as  one  wherein  pure  theory  could  operate,  regard- 
less of  any  other  consideration.     This  weakness   was    ap- 
parent when  he  insisted  that  the  Church,  and  the  Universities 
as  a  part  of  the  Church,  should  cease  to  hold  real  endow- 
ments;   and  that  the  clergy  should  confine  themselves  to 
theological  studies.     In  the  first  instance  he  pushed  to  the 
extremes  of  formal   disputation  opinions  he  had  imbibed 
from  the  mendicant  friars;   in  the  latter,  his  postulate  that 
the  Holy  Scriptures  were  perfectly  sufficient  for  a  clerical 
education    was    advanced    beyond    reasonable    boundaries 
and    unsupported    by    his    personal    example.     Yet    these 
extra\aganccs  and   inconsistencies   were  redeemed   by  the 
warmth  of  his  natural  s\-mpathies,  which  generally  were 
rightly  bestowed  and  gradually  led  him  to  become  aware 
of  something  nobler  and  more  vital  than  the  ex     titudes  of 
Scholasticism   or   the   unquestioning   zeal   of   partisanship. 
When  force  of  reasoning  failed  him  he  was  frequently  aided 
by  that  insight  and  j)revision  which  enable  prophetical  men 
rightly  to  value  the  germinating  power  of  appareritlv  hope- 
less but  pregnant  ideals.     His  solitariness  as  the  last  of  the 
Schoolmen  intensified  both  this  faculty  of  vision,  and  also 
his  faults  as  a  thinker.    The  ages  which  preceded  his  own 


JOHN  WYCLIFFE 


69 


had  produced  great  figures  who  stood  forth  from  among  their 
contemporaries  upon  the  higher  levels  of  thought  and  achieve- 
ment. It  was  a  sign  that  disintegration  had  already  begun 
wiien  he  was  fated  to  stand  alone.  The  richer  the  summer, 
the  greater  the  decay  of  autumn.  Wy cliff e  came  to  the 
vineyard  at  the  eleventh  hour,  when  Scholasticism's  day  was 
departing  and  its  sky  was  already  imbrowned  with  shadows. 
Chill  mists  had  begun  to  fall  upon  those  fields  in  which  were 
found  no  fellow  laborers  of  equal  capacity  to  correct  his 
peculiarities  or  counteract  his  excesses. 

Fortunately  for  himself  he  was  fertile  in  distinctions  and 
expedients,  yet  not  so  fortunate  in  his  facile  handling  of  the 
abstract  as  though  it  were  the  concrete.  The  former  gift 
combined  with  the  substantial  justice  of  the  causes  he 
undertook  to  overcome  the  difficulties  of  his  temperament, 
training,  and  isolation.  He  formulated  a  series  of  proposi- 
tions which  other  leaders  defended  and  furthered  against 
the  claims  of  the  Holy  See.  The  avowal  that  the  King  was 
God's  vicar  as  well  as  the  Pope,  and  that  the  State  had  a 
natural  right  and  dignity  which  should  not  be  impaired  by 
ecclesiastical  trespass,  was  carried  beyond  the  theoretical 
stage  as  early  as  1.3G(),  when  Parliament  finally  refused  pay- 
ment of  the  annual  Papal  tribute.  The  report  of  the  debates 
on  this  action  was  strongly  influenced  by  \V>  cliffe's  views ; 
and  such  could  not  have  been  the  case  except  fcr  his  acquaint- 
ance with  public  affairs,  which  saved  him  from  mere  syllogistic 
manipulation  and  prevented  him  from  beating  the  air. 

His  critics  should  bear  in  mind  that,  had  not  his  more 
daring  conceptions  and  innovations  been  couched  in  the 
formal  phraseology  of  the  Schools,  they  would  probably 
have  been  instantly  rejected.  Their  nakedness  was  clothed 
with  a  garb  academically  correct,  which  concealed  the  fact 
that  they  constituted  a  revolutionary  departure  from  the 
authorized  tenets  then  current,  and  "inbodied  a  new  theory 
of  the  relation  between  Church  and  State.  Hence  the  main 
results  of  his  efforts  are  not  to  be  found,  as  some  of  his 


h 


U  I: 


70        TIIUKK    UKLUilOUS    LKADEKS  OF   OXFORD 

roiuliTs  hiivo  c'oiitfixlod,  in  thdst-  inventions  which  were 
hirgely  tlie  surplusajic  uf  his  genius.  On  the  contrary,  they 
appear  in  the  hroadeninj;  of  that  individual  and  national 
freedom  for  whieii  an  nnliroken  lineage  of  scholars  and 
doctors  had  striven.  Marsiglio  had  demanded  that  the 
Church  sliould  limit  herself  to  her  own  province;  Ockham 
had  vindicated  the  necessity  and  justice  of  an  autonomous 
secular  power ;  tlie  S|)iritual  Franciscans  had  exemplified  the 
evangelical  poverty  which  the  (lospels  inculcated;  Grosse- 
teste  had  denounced  pluralities  and  provisions;  Fitzral|)h 
had  insisted  that  dominion  was  f(.,.nded  in  grace;  and 
Wyditl'e  hlended  these  separate  ideas  into  a  measurably 
consistent  unity. 

V 

Pope  Urban  V  has  come  down  to  us  as  the  best  of  the 
Avignon  i)opes,  so  far  as  purity  of  character  and  religious 
fervor  are  concerned.  Flis  labors  to  repress  simony  and  cor- 
ruption were  creditable,  and  it  was  he  who  in  his  desire 
to  escape  the  vicious  life  of  tlie  French  seat  made  an  un- 
successful attemi)t  to  reestablish  the  I'apac,\-  in  Rome. 
F'qnally  futile  was  his  ill-timed  dt-mand  for  the  homage  of 
iMigland,  which  Wydifl'e,  at  the  comi'iand  of  F:dward  III, 
answered,  as  wc  have  seen,  in  i;5(H;.>  The  Reformer  was  still 
teaching  ;;i.  Oxford  when  he  summarized  in  his  reply  the 
arguments  which  had  already  been  ad\anced  in  Parliament 
against  I'rban's  action.  The  temper  of  the  national  legisla- 
ture, as  reflected  in  these  arguments  and  s|)eeches,  indicated 
a.>tr()ng  antipapal  sentiment  in  England,  which  increased 
as  the  fourteenth  century  i)rogressed. 

Apart  fnmi  the  royal  mandate,  the  causes  of  Wydiffe's 
diversion  to  politics  may  have  lain  in  his  weariness  of  the 
endless  hairsi)litti!igs  of  the  philosoijliical  schools.  Their 
members   essayed    to   elucidate   eternal    mysteries   by   logic 

'  Whctlici-  l!ir  ,|:i|,.  i~  KiCf,  (,r  1:{7|  i^  vi-ry  <luiil>tfiil.  Soiiip  authoritios 
favor  till-  lati-r  il.ili-.      'llic  I'opcs  (l("in:iiiil  w:i-i  rc|>c:iti-il  ill  l:{7t. 


JOHN    WYCLIFFE 


71 


while  they  eiishroudeil  phiiii  everyday  trutlis  in  a  dense 
mist.  Politieai  aetion  oH'ered  him  a  broader  path  and  firmer 
footinj;  than  tiieological  diseiission.  Ajjain,  not  only  were 
philosophy  and  theology  an  intellectual  unity  at  that  time, 
they  also  stood  in  elose  relation  to  every  public  question. 
The  theologian  and  the  metaphysician  were  political  econo- 
mists «)f  a  sort,  and  WydiH'e's  attainments  in  the  first  two 
sciences  fitted  him  to  deal  with  (piestions  of  .State  policy. 

By  far  the  most  distingnislied  of  his  patrons  at  this  stage 
of  his  career  was  .John  of  (Jaunt  (l.UO-l ;>!)()),  the  ablest 
and  most  unscrupulous  Englislnnan  of  the  time;  a  prince 
who  shared  the  (jualitics  and  ambitions  of  the  I'lantag- 
enets,  and  devoted  his  talents,  as  the  leader  of  a  small  but 
compact  and  active  party,  to  the  aggrandizement  of  the 
Lancastrian  dynasty  and  its  supporters.  When  he  and 
WyclifVe  conjoined,  the  gloom  of  impending  national  mis- 
fortune had  begun  to  darken  the  last  years  of  Kdward  III ; 
the  renewal  of  -ontinental  peace  had  Hooded  England  with 
a  stream  of  returning  soldiers,  whose  training  in  the  wars 
had  rendered  them  unfit  for  civil  life;  France  was  pr(^ 
paring  to  wrest  herself  free  from  the  yoke  of  her  enemies; 
and  the  Black  I'rince,  whose  knighthood  mirrored  departing 
chivalry,  was  nearing  the  end  of  his  brilliant  military 
career.  It  seems  to  the  student  of  to-day  that  there  were 
more  natural  portents  of  evil,  more  droughts,  famines,  pesti- 
lences, seasons  of  abnormal  suffering  and  degradation  than 
the  world  has  i'\er  known  since.'  .Aristocratic  and  terri- 
torial prerogatives  remained  unrestricted,  and  society  was 
drifting  towards  the  thunders  of  the  cataract.  Strange 
combinations  of  somber  circumstances  were  forming  when 
Parliament  in  i;571  petitioned  the  throne  that  secular  men 
only  should  be  emi)loyed  in  the  royal  court  and  household. 

The  Duke  of  Lancaster's  alliance  with  Wvclifl'e  was 
prompted  by  selfish  motives  on  tlu'  i)art  of  the  prince.     lie 

'  This  spiitpiK'O  Wiis  wriitiMi  licfciri"  the  iiutlircak  of  the  Kre:it  war  in 
Kunipc.      It  iiiiulil   imhv  |icis>ilil,\    Ik'mt  rcvi>iiiri. 


1 


'it 


!'! 


72        THREE    KELIC.IOrs    LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


was  in  lioarty  ajTccniciit  witli  tlic  IJcfonner's  proposal  that 
"tlie  kiiifr  and  his  witty  lords"  should  take  hack  the  wealth 
and  endowments  of  tiie  Cluireh  "hy  process  of  time"; 
that  prelates  should  vacate  their  secular  offices  and  that  the 
extensive  ecclesiastical  estates  shouhl  he  forcihly  reeovertnl 
from  those  guilty  of  their  misuse.  Hut  here  the  ccmeurrence 
ended.  Wycliffe  would  have  applied  the  proceeds  of  such 
restitution  to  the  welfare  of  the  realm ;  Gaunt  was  bent  on 
sccurinj;  them  for  i)artisan  ends.  Meanwhile  the  compact 
remained  mishaken,  althoujih  WycliHV  was  disappointed 
at  the  pusillanimous  conduct  of  the  new  administration. 
When  the  Papal  collector  of  trihute,  Arnold  (Jarnier,  visite<l 
Ensland,  the  royal  officials  nuTcly  extracted  from  him  the 
customary  oath  that  he  wouhl  do  nothiii};  c(mtrary  to  the 
laws  and  lil)erties  of  the  kin{;dom.  Their  mildness  angered 
Wyclitt'e,  who  indifjnantly  remarked  in  one  of  his  pamphlets 
that  it  could  not  he  otherwise  than  subversive  of  the  laws 
and  liberties  of  the  realm  that  a  foreign  potentate  should 
plunder  it  at  will. 

He  was  |H'rversely  slow  to  suspect  Gaunt  of  less  commend- 
able aims  than  his  own,  and  Gaunt  was  quick  to  make  goo<l 
use  of  he  Schoolman's  trenchant  jH-n.  In  April,  1.374, 
he  was  ai»iMiintcd  by  the  Crown  to  the  livuif;  of  Lutterworth, 
bestowed  iipnn  liiiu,  not  primarily  because  he  was  a  learned 
and  pious  dcrk,  but  rather  as  a  reward  for  his  services  to 
the  government.  The  authorities  took  advantage  of  the 
minority  of  the  regular  patron,  Henry  de  Ferrers,  to  assign 
the  benefice  to  their  nominee,  and  Wyclitt'e's  enemies  cir- 
culated rumors  that  further  im'fcrments  were  in  store  for  him, 
and  that  he  was  to  be  elevattnl  to  the  see  of  Worcester  on 
the  death  of  its  occupant,  William  de  Leme. 

The  wronirs  which  i)atrons  of  benefices  suffered  at  the 
hands  of  the  l'oi)e  through  the  constant  violation  of  the 
Statute  of  I'rovisors  continued  to  l)e  the  subject  of  protests 
in  Parliament,  and  finally  it  was  arranged  that  the  matter 
should  be  discussed  at  Bruges  with  the  commissioners  of 


JOHN    WYCLIl'KK 


73 


Gregory  XI.  Ac(or(linj;l\  on  tin-  L'litli  of  July,  1.374,  John 
Gilbert,  afterwanls  Hisliop  of  Haiinor,  was  nia-le  the  head  of 
the  English  delegation,  with  \V\ clillV  as  a  suhordinate  mem- 
ber.' The  outcome  was  disconifitiiig  to  them.  The  six 
bulls  which  the  I'ojX'  disi)atched  in  September,  i:}7."),  while 
deploring  past  irregularities,  gave  no  promise  of  future 
redress.  The  promotion  of  the  Bishop  of  Bangor  was  lookwl 
upon  as  a  payment  for  the  betrayal  of  the  interests  of  the 
Anglican  Church,  and  (Jaunt  was  suspected  of  similar 
treachery  in  his  negotiations  with  France. 

In  ()rder  to  furnish  some  idea  of  the  grievances  that 
were  aired  at  the  conference,  it  is  necessary  to  revert  to  the 
time  of  King  John's  humiliation  at  the  instance  of  Innocent 
III.  After  that  event  the  Holy  See  steadily  drew  to  itself 
the  patronage  of  the  higlu-st  ecclesiastical  offices  and  emolu- 
ments in  England,  acting  in  connivance  with  the  reigning 
monarch,  whose  interests  generally  coincided  with  those 
of  the  Pontiff.  "Were  the  king  of  England  to  petition  for 
an  ass  to  be  made  a  bishoj),  we  nuist  not  refuse  him,"  was  a 
piece  of  sacrilegious  effrontery  attributed  to  Clement  V. 
An  example  of  the  iiuuunerablc  abuses  which  sprang 
from  this  sinister  association,  and  from  the  ramifications 
of  the  extortionate  system  and  the  helplessness  of  the 
Anglican  bishops  to  check  it,  is  afforded  ity  the  dioce- 
san annals  of  Salisbury.  Here  twenty-eight  out  of  fifty 
prebends  in  the  gift  of  the  Bishop  had  b(>en  provided  for  by 
the  Popes,  while  not  more  than  three  of  the  holders  resided 
in  them.  Eight  additional  candidates  were  on  the  waiting 
list  with  the  promise  of  preferment  at  the  first  vacancy. 

'  The  latest  researcho;*  !>>•  Dr.  Workman  show  that  WydifTo  was  not  a 
meml)or  of  the  official  ("oiifercmc  at  Hnmcs  which  sctilcd'tlie  terms  of  the 
Concordat  with  the  Pope.  II..  was  only  there  for  seven  weeks  and  was 
in  no  sense  a  chief  fimire.  Hi.-hop  (iiliierf  was  practically  supreme,  and 
the  Concordat,  which  was  so  dis.istn.us  for  Kimland,  was  "not  determined 
upon  until  i:i7li.  when  the  moving  ■'t>irits  were  Simon  Sudbury  and  John  of 
C.aunt.  The  statement  of  I.edilcr  that  ,Iohn  of  Caunt  and  w'vclilTe 'met  at 
HruRes  is  a  fiction.  WyclitTe  had  liiiall.\  left  Uruues  Ions;  liefore  .John  of 
Gaunt  went  there  to  participate  in  the  Confereme. 


74        TURKK    KKLKilOlIS    LKAOKKS   OK   OXFORD 


At  lcn>;tli  tills  x'lisflt'ss  ra|)iicity  was  rcstraiiicd  l)v  thi- 
Kii>;lisli  ^ovtrimifiit,  wliicli  dcHi'd  the  Tapal  (•(mrt  at  Avi- 
>;niiii  as  thr  lu-ad  and  fount  of  inihlnsliinj;  simony,  "wluTt-  ii 
caititf  who  knows  notliinj;  and  is  worth  notliinji  is  promoted 
to  chiin  lies  and  prclK-nds  to  the  vahu'  of  a  tluuisand  marks." 
'I'hf  I'ontilf's  liitluTto  uiKim-stioni'd  ri^;lit  of  nomination  to 
Itisiioprics  n-ndcrcd  vacant  l)y  transhition  had  also  hoen 
wantonly  fXiTcisj-d.  Their  occupants  were  removed  from 
one  see  to  another  as  often  as  }M)ssil)le  in  order  that 
the  usual  fees  and  first-fruits,  i.e.,  the  first  year's  income, 
mi^;ht  lie  collected  from  the  out^oinn  and  incominj;  prelates. 
The  nominees  were  more  often  than  not  absentees  as  well 
as  foreij;ners,  content  to  receive  the  reveinies  <if  offices 
they  had  never  seen.  The  shameful  spectacle  of  these  ad- 
venturers enricliin;;  themselves  out  of  the  treasury  of  the 
national  Church  and  the  funds  gathered  from  the  jjifts  of 
the  poor  and  the  faithful  excited  strong  indignation. 
Wanton  avarice  had  reached  its  climax  and  battened  on 
its  ill-gotten  gains  until  the  notorious  evil  sharjH-ned  the 
popular  apiK'tite  for  nforin.  Thus,  apart  from  doctrinal 
and  intellectual  develojnnents,  the  Wycliffian  movement 
suited  the  resolution  of  his  countrymen,  exasix-rated  as  they 
were  by  «lerical  parasites  who  drained  the  financial  re- 
sources of  conununities  to  which  many  of  them  were  entire 
strangers. 

The  Statute  of  Provisors  of  the  year  V.i'A  was  designed  to 
prevent  the  I'ojm'  from  providing  Knglish  livings  for  foreign 
clerics,  from  making  provisions  for  benefices  during  the 
lifetime  of  the  incumbent,  and  from  reserving  them  for 
I'aiial  use  and  benefit  while  their  occupancy  was  de- 
layed for  that  purpose.  It  also  imthibited  the  acceptance 
of  Tapal  letters  of  provision,  and  vested  the  patronage  thus 
bestowed  in  the  king.  Further,  by  this  Statute  the  free 
election  of  candidates  for  the  liigher  offices  reverted  to  the 
ancient  procedure  of  their  choice  l)y  the  Cathedral  Chapter, 
and  the  dignitaries  thus  chosen  were  allowed  to  have  free 


JOHN    VVVCLIKKK 


75 


presentations  of  tlie  iM-nefici-s  inuler  their  jnrisdiction.  The 
fact  that  the  Statute  ha<l  to  l)e  supplemented  two  years 
hiter  hy  the  first  Statute'  of  I'neinunire  showed  that  it  had 
faih-d  to  a<coinplish  (h-sirahle  results.  After  tliirtt'eii  years 
more  strinj;ent  U'jjislation  was  passed,  api)lyinK  the  inliihi- 
tions  of  tlie  latter  Statute  to  the  ("uria,  whicli  it  boldly 
named.  Finally,  in  i:?!i;>  the  (Ireat  Statute  of  IVa-munire 
suhjeete<l  all  apiH'llants  to  Home  to  the  forfeiture  of  their 
ease.  This  succession  of  enactments,  six  in  all,  duriuf;  the 
jH-rio<l  from  V.\'A)  to  \:VX',,  proved  the  incifectiveness  of  the 
various  measures  de>i>jned  to  end  the  Aviiiiinn  tyraimy. 
But  if  such  means  did  not  avail  to  abolish  foreign  eccle- 
siastical control,  they  sni)plied  tlie  jm-ccdents  which  pave 
color  to  Henry  the  Kijrlith's  plea  that  he  was  acting  within  the 
law  when  he  destroyed  the  inde|H'ndence  of  the  Church  and 
mr)noj)olized  for  the  ("ntwn  and  the  nobility  the  estates  and 
incomes  hitherto  shared  with  the  Papacy. 

AfttT  what  has  been  said  it  is  not  inexplicable  that  the 
Commission  of  Unices  should  have  truckleil  to4he  I'ojk'  and 
the  kinp,  or  that  its  nejtotiations  were  as  fruitless  iis  the 
Kuftlish  court  no  doubt  intended  they  shoui<l  be.  The  claims 
of  corrupted  usa^e  contiinied  to  fetter  the  liberties  of  Angli- 
canism, and  the  few  concessions  agreed  U|«in  wert-  only 
meant  to  save  the  face  of  the  conuiiissioners.  The  Bisho{) 
of  BitUjior  was  ai)i)ointed  to  certain  benefices  by  means  of 
tlie  verv  "i)rovisions"  he  had  been  instructed  to  denounce: 
WycliftV  remained  merely  a  parish  |)riest  in  rank,  and  held 
the  living  at  Lutterworth  until  his  death.  Vet  he  was  i)romi- 
nent  in  the  country,  and  his  alliance  with  daunt  kept  him 
in  the  political  arena.  Tlie  declininj;  health  of  Kdward  III 
anil  the  death  of  the  Black  Prince  made  the  Duke  of  Lan- 
caster supreme,  while  his  reactionary  influence  served  to 
undo  the  le^'islation  of  the  "(lood  Parliament."  Wyclitfe 
resided  at  Lutterworth  and  at  Oxford,  makinj;  frequent  jour- 
neys to  the  capital,  where  by  this  time  he  was  ecjually  well 
known  us  a  trusted  adviser  of  the  Crown  and  as  a  preacher 


i] 


m, 


i 


76       THREE   IlKLIOIOUS   LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

whosf  anient  oloqiutur  fitted  him  to  inspire  and  direct  public 
opinion. 

His  Jul  .,rs  during  this  iM-rio*!  were  only  exeeede*!  hv  ihose 
which  followiHl  between  the  vears  of  i:{7S  and   l.'wi,  when 
his  efforts  for  reform  literally  consumed  him.     They  .seem 
to  have  been  ,)romi)t<-.|  by  the  belief  that  phvsieal  decline 
could  lint  loiiK  Im-  deferred,  and  that  what  lie  had   to  do 
must  be  .lone  (iui<kly.     Within  six  <.r  seven  years  he  not  only 
wrote  all  his  KukHsIi  works,  of  which,  accordinj?  to  Shirley's 
catalogue,  there  are  sixty-five,'  but  revisi-d  or  c.)mplete<rat 
least  half  of  his  Latin  writings,  of  which  the  same  authority 
enumerates  ninety-s.-v,-n,   and   these  herculean   tasks  were 
auKmeiited  by  his  sliare  in  translating  the  Hible.     He  also 
()ri>riiiat(^l  the  pamphlet  as  a  w»-aiH)ii  of  controversy.     The 
Scholastic  doctor,  «'steemed  by  his  contemporaries  us  excel- 
ling in  profundity  and   subtlety,  now  doffed  the  cumlMT- 
some  armor  of  abstruse  proiM)sitions  couched  in  s\lloj;i.stic 
forms  and  a  dead  laiiKUaKe.     His  tracts,  addres.sed  to  fellow 
citizens  in  their  own  s|Hech,  were  clear  in  substance  and 
style   with  many  a  racy  aside  an<l  pungent  sallv  which  dis- 
clost^l  in  the  writ.-r  a  iini„i,  of  rare  (pialities  of  heart  and 
brain.     They  were  terse,  j)ithy,  incisive,  vehement  in  feel- 
mg;    not  without  antics  in  which  the  most  learned  were 
capable  of  indulging'  on  occasion;   and   relicvcl  and   em- 
phasizi-d  by  the  play  of  sarcasm,  banter,  and  raillerv.     Some 
of  these  broadsides  were  not  more  than  a  couple"  of  pages 
m  length,  yet  iii  that  brief  compass  they  frequently  conveyed 
a  masterly  exposition  bearing  directly  upon  the  matter  in 
hand. 

The  lack  of  other  literary  mcnlels  than  the  Bible  and  a 
few  Latin  authors  threw  him  ba.-k  upon  his  own  originality. 
Ihv  c-lassics  were  preserved  in  the  libraries  of  St.  Albans, 
(xlastonbury.  York,  an.l  Durham.  Richard  Aungervvle. 
better  known  as  Richard  de  Bury,  author  of  the  "  Philobib- 

port  Jnce.^'"*''"''  """  """"''  '"'"'"'  *"  '^^  '^'"'"  *"^'"'  ''""'  "'  ^"^^  ""d  '">- 


JOHN    WYCLIFFK 


77 


hon,"  which  (h-iilt  with  his  favorit.-  pursuit  of  book  colh-ct- 
inK.  was  thr  owm.t  of  a  Kr.at  hhrary  srciir.-.!   at   iiifinitt. 
pains.     H,-  lM..,u..ath,-.l  it  to  Durham  Colirp-,  a  inunificrut 
erulownu'nt  in.KT.|.  siucc  such  hl.rarics  were  rare  hefon-  the 
time  of  Duke  ILuuphrey.      IV-ter   I^oinhanl's  "Sentences" 
and  Gratian's  "  D.-crc-tum "  were  the  letter  known  reposi- 
tones   of   leanuiiK,    and    Wychire's   ac(|uaintaMee    with   St 
Augustine  and  St.  Chrysoston.  was  prol)aMv  .hie  to  (Jratian 
No  interpreter  of  Wyeliffe's  writings  can    rate   the    He- 
former  an  optimist.     The  world  he  saw  was  soreiv  <listr.ssed  • 
the  mcon.stuncy  of  human  things  ever  iiulined  them  toward' 
the  great  ahyss;    tlie  <-ommon  jM-oph-  were  l)ad,  the  civil 
rulers  worse,  the  clergy.and  esjM'ciallN  the  higher  ecclesiastics 
worst  of  all.     IVrilous  times  had  come,  in  which  otfense.s 
abounded.      Their  mischief  was  the  more  vexatious  bv  con- 
trast, for  they  din-<tly  follow.-d  a  perio.1  of  superabun.lant 
energy  which  once  bade  fair  to  rejuvenate  society.    Ail  author- 
ities  were  now  recreant  in  that  they  had  fi.rsakcn  Christ,  sur- 
rendered to  human  maxims,  and  become  the  slaves  of  tvranni- 
cal  greed  and  caprice.     The  following  <|Uotation  from  one  of 
his  sermons  shows  how  far  short  of  \\\,.|ilJVs  exix-ctations 
Christendom  had  fallen,  an.I  how  freely  he  r.-primanded  the 
rehgrnus  <leurth  and  col.lness  of  the  age.     "  It  is  as  clear  as  dav 
that  we  so-called  Christians  make  the  <Teatures  to  be  oiir 
gals.     The  proud  or  ambitious  man  worships  a  likeness  of 
that  which  is  in  I.eavcn  (Kxodusxx.  4).  because,  like  Lucifer, 
he  loves,  above  all  things,  promotion  or  dignitv  in  one  form 
or  another.     The  covetous  man  worships  a  likeness  of  that 
which  IS  in  the  earth  iKneath.     .\nd  although,  arravtnl  in 
sheep  s  clothing,  we  hypocritically  confess  that  our  highest 
of  all  service  is  m  the  worshi|)  of  C.od.  yet  it  would  verv  well 
become  us  carefully  to  inquire  whether  we  faithful! v 'carry 
out  this  confession  in  our  actions.     Let  us  then  search  aiul 
examine  whetluT  we  keep  the  Hrst  an.I  greatest  command- 
ment, and  worship  (Jod  above  all.     Do  we  not  bend  and 
bow  ourselves  before  the  rich  of  this  world  more  with  the 


k 


i 


7S        TMUKK    UKI.KilOl  S    I.KADKUS   OK   OXKOUD 


k'w  iif  iMiiij;  nwiinlnl  li_\  tlirin  with  uorlilv  lionur  or  Urii- 
|M)rnl  ailvjiittap',  than  for  the  sikc  iif  their  mural  <  haracttT 
or  ^piritiial  lirip';'  Duo  not  the  covctnio  man  Mri'tch  out 
now  hi^  arin->  aiul  now  his  hamls  to  >;ra>|)tlu'  j;ol(l,anil  (Iim-h 
Iif  not  pay  cuiirt  nntirinj;ly  to  the  men  who  havr  it  in  tlu'ir 
powiT  to  hiiidfr  or  to  hclj)  his  Kain.s?  I)(H'h  not  tin-  sensual 
man,  as  thoujrh  he  wt-re  making;  an  otreriinj  to  the  i*lol 
Moloch,  east  himself  ilowii  with  his  whole  ImkIv  hefcye  the 
liaritit?  DiHs  he  not  put  upon  sueh  jxTsons  worldly  honor? 
l>oes  he  not  olfer  to  them  the  incense  of  ptirses  of  ^iM,  iti 
tirdcr  to  scent  the  flow  of  sensual  deli>;ht  with  the  sweetest 
IMTfuines?  Dims  he  not  lavish  uixm  his  mistress  fjift  U|m>ii 
Kift,  till  she  is  more  wonderfully  heili/eiuMl  with  various 
ornaments  than  an  ima>;e  of  the  Holy  N'irKin '!  And  dcK-s  not 
all  this  show  that  ««•  love  the  th-sh,  the  world,  an<l  the  devil 
more  than  (JikI,  in  that  we  are  more  careful  to  keep  their 
eommandnients  than  His?  What  violence  do  we  hear  of 
the  Kinplom  of  Heaven  sufferiiifj  in  our  times  (Matthew 
xi.  12),  while  the  ;;ates  of  hell  are  holted  ?  But  alas!  hroad 
and  well-triMhh-n  is  the  way  which  leadetli  to  hell,  and  narrow 
and  forsaken  the  way  which  leadetli  to  heaven  I  This  it  is 
which  makes  men,  for  lack  of  faith,  love  what  is  seen  and 
temporal  more  than  the  l)h'ssinj;s  which  they  caimot  see, 
and  to  have  more  delight  in  huildin^s.  dn-ss,  and  ornaim-nts, 
and  ot.ier  tlun);s  of  art  and  man's  invention,  than  in  the 
uncreated  archetyiH-s  of  heaven."  ' 

\\'hate\'er  may  he  thought  of  the  justice  of  this  whole- 
sale condemnation,  its  sincerity  is  heyond  dispute.  Self- 
deceptioii  is  not  dish(tne>ty,  thoiij;h  it  is  often  mistaken  for 
it,  and  the  fact  that  a  man's  opinions  and  jmictices  do  not 
always  scpiare  with  his  words  din-s  not  necessarily  prove 
him  to  he  a  charlatan.  We  may  he  sure,  however,  that 
history  is  not  written  in  such  pronounced  colors  as  hhuk 

'  Lilior  .Miiiiilaloruiii  (l)cc:ili>itiis):  r.  I.'.,  fnl.  VMS.  col.  I  ;  fol.  1,{7.  rol.  2. 
(Juoti'd  l)\  Lfchler,  "John  Wy<lilTe  and  hi.^  KiiKlisli  I'ri'cursor.s"  ;  pp.  ,iO:t  ■ 
304. 


J(»IIN    WYCLIKKK 


79 


and  whito,  anil  rt'rtainly  lu.t  in  hia.k  alutir.  luit  in  tin-  lialf 
tints  and  iimiiirnlil  sIukI.s  w liidi  an-  n»'(»s>ary  to  dt-pict  the 
variftirs  of  hiiinari  cliaractcr.  Tlic  nnqiiaiiHol  Urim  (if 
Wy.li>r»''s  homily  w»Te  iinploy.'d  for  tlic  sakt-  of  tn.-ntal 
<-«)nvniifn<r  as  wi-ll  as  moral  corn-ction,  aiul  tliost'  who 
are  pvi-n  to  tlu-  use  of  such  tmns,  as  he  was,  u.-m-rallv  hav«« 
in  mind  thr  incn-aso  of  the  k<mmI  and  tlu-  defnit  of  the  evil 
in  their  surroundings. 


!ii 


i 


CHAITER  III 
THE  QUARREL  WITH  THE  PAPACY 


81 


if 


Had  it  not  boon  tlie  oljstinato  ])erverspness  of  our  prelates  against 
th'j  <livini-  anil  a<liniral)lt'  sijjrit  of  Wyclif  to  suppress  him  as  a  schis- 
matic and  innovator,  pcriiaps  neither  the  Hoiieniian  Hus  ami  Jeroni,  no, 
nor  the  name  of  Lutiier  or  of  Calvin,  had  i)een  ever  known  :  the  glory 
of  reforming  all  our  neighbors  had  been  completely  ours. 

Milton,  Arcnpagitica. 


82 


CHAPTER  III 


THE   QIAHRKL    WITH    THE    PAPACY 

Wycliffe  and  Cliurdi  institutions  —  William  Courtenay,  Bishop  of 
London  —  Wyrliffc's  trial  in  1:577  -(ircftory  XI's  five  bulls  against 
him  —  Second  trial  in  i:i7S  -  \Vy<.|iffc's  poK-niio  against  the  friars  — 
Sketch  of  rise,  development,  and  decadence  of  nionasticism  —  Con- 
trast between  monks  and  friars  —  Popular  accusations  against  the 
latter  — The  (Jreat  Schism  an<i  its  etfect  on  Wycliffe  —  His  defense 
of  Gaunt  — His  change  of  attitude  towards  the  Papacy  —  Wycliffe's 
doctrine  of  the  ("Imrch  —  His  teaching  upim  Transubstantiation — 
Development  of  the  dogma  —  Wydiffe's  friends  forsake  him. 


::  m 


Wycliffe  was  in  all  respects  a  typical  Englishman,  inde- 
pendent in  thought,  jealous  for  the  honor  of  his  country  and 
consistent  in  his  patriotism.  lie  was  seldom  wanting  in  self- 
confidence;  a  maker  rather  than  a  creature  of  precedent, 
with  a  high  spirit  unatt'ecte<!  by  the  external  circumstances 
which  sway  weaker  characters.  Ilis  practical  bent  made 
him  impatient  of  dreams  and  ecstasies.  As  to  his  rank  in 
learning,  he  was  "in  theology  most  eminent,  in  philosophy 
second  to  none,  in  scholastic  exercises  incomparable."  • 

The  conscious  authority  of  these  distinctions  invested  his 
l)eariiig  with  an  austerity  age  did  not  pcrccptil)Iy  soften,  and 
lent  his  temper  a  brusqueness  that  tolerated  no  daliyings. 
He  lived  near  enough  to  conscience  to  b(>  discontented 
with  things  as  they  were,  and  when  the  test  was  applied  he 
passed  into  social  and  political  retirement  r.i'iier  than  sur- 
render his  convictions.  His  integrity  arose  out  of  a  solicitude 
for  what  he  contrived  to  be  spiritual  religion.     Excessive  care 

'  Bishop  Mandell  Creightou  :  '  Uistorioul  Kssays  and  Reviows"  ;  pp.  173- 
174. 

83 


II 


S4        TIIUKK    UKLICIOUS    LKADEKS   OF   OXFORD 

fur  received  dojinias  did  not  deaden  his  moral  sense;    he 
iiiipeac  lie<l  any  ecclesiastical  ascendency  that  depended  upon 
rt'sistaiice  to  the  lawful  authority  of  the  State,  and  encoun- 
tered  no  adversaries  sufficiently  strong  to  silvutv  or  even 
deter  him.     He  was  iK)sitive,  militant,  and  eager  for  direct 
action    because    apparently   doubtful   conc-erning   any   self- 
rJKlitiiig  principle  in   human  development.     While  faithful 
to  his  own  beliefs,  he  was  not  always  just  toward  antagonistic 
views,  and  in  the  heat  of  controversy  sometimes  forgot  that 
unbalanced  truth  is  itself  untrue.     He  was  far  more  willing 
to   l)e    hurried   than    idle;     the   familiar   (Jerman    proverb, 
"Ohne  Hast,  olwie  IJast,"  was  scarcely  descrijjtive  of  a  career 
the  moderation  of  which  was  altogether  disproportionate 
to  its  restlessness  and  resolution.      These  traits  weredi.;played 
to  the  full  in  his  disputes  with  the  Cesarean  clergy,  the  friars, 
the  Papacy,  and  finally,  in  regard  to  the  doctrine  of  Transub- 
stantiation.     Little  allowance  was  made    by  the   stern    re- 
monstrant for  the  inevitable  sh<irtcomings  of  human  nature 
that  found  exi)ressioii  in  these  organizations  and  this  dogma. 
The  refinements  of  analysis  which  can  detect  potential  good 
in  some  pn-sent  evils  were  beyond  him  ;  in  brief,  sailing  close 
to  the  wind  was  for  him  an  imi)ossible  art.     Thus  one  of  the 
exhilarating  asjH'cts  of  his  record  was  its  moral  intrepidity, 
which,  apart  from  his  connection  with  John  of  Gaunt,  was 
seldom  deflected  from  (Ksirable  ends. 

The  deimnciations  and  the  virulence  of  his  quarrels  grew 
as  tlie  ("a'sarean  clergy  gave  placi'  to  the  friars,  the  friars 
to  tli<'  Papacy,  and  the  Papacy  to  Transubstantiation.' 
He  found  abundant  incentive  in  existing  coiulitions;  Euro- 
pean politics  were  suffering  from  the  conseciuences  of  the 
later  Crusades,  which  had  lapsed  into  ruffianism,  leaving  small 
clioice  between  tiie  conduct  of  the  infidels  who  hel<l  the  Holy 
City  aiul  that  of  the  adventurers  who  strove  to  wrest  it  from 
them.     France  lay  broken  and  bleeding  i)eiieath  the  weight 

'  Tho  (luostion  b:iH  \,v,-u  r.iis.-d  whrthiT  or  not  WyililTc'.s  iittack  on  the 
friar-*  iirccnl,.!  tliat  miim  tlic  cloctriiic  of  TraD.tiibstaiitiatio 


JOHN  wy(;liffe 


85 


of  the  first  half  of  the  HiiiKlreil  Years'  War.  In  Italy  and 
Germany  the  eoiifliets  between  the  P^inpire  and  the  Papacy 
had  shaken  the  fonndations  of  society,  and  their  cities  were 
overrun  with  a  rabble  of  mercenaries  and  free-lances.  Eng- 
land had  been  fortunate  enough  to  escape  the  distractions  of 
civil  strife,  nevertheless  her  social  state  was  wretched  beyond 
words.  Compared  with  those  of  the  Continent,  her  pro- 
vincial towns  were  small  and  insignificant;  outside  their 
closely  guarded  walls  and  noisome  precincts  the  peasants  of 
the  shires  groveled  before  their  lords,  for  whom  they  were 
hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water.  Yet  there  still 
smoldered  in  these  men  the  ashes  of  their  fathers'  wonted 
fires ;  ashes  which  had  heat  enough  left  in  them  to  kindle  the 
conflagration  that  threatened  t()  devour  the  ruling  powers 
at  the  time  of  the  Peasants'  Revolt. 

When  the  Lancastrian  faction  forced  William  of  Wykeham 
to  resign  the  (Mianccllor's  seals,  his  deprivation  and  at- 
tempted punishment  led  to  fnrtiier  recriminations  and  im- 
{jeachments,  and  the  clergy  made  Wykehams  cause  their 
own.  However  desirable  Wyclitfe's  abstention  from  politics 
might  have  been,  it  was  now  practically  impossible:  he 
could  not  have  retreated  without  loss  of  honor  and 
injury  to  his  cause.'  Moreover,  his  doubts  and  question- 
ings, as  well  as  his  beliefs,  were  no  longer  latent.  Once 
released  from  the  habit  of  absolute  submission  and  obedience, 
they  proceeded  ajjace,  and  tiicir  radical  tendencies  aH'ected 
matters  of  jjublic  moment  ratiier  than  scholastic  discourse. 
He  openly  avowed  in  London  churches  the  tenets  of  dis- 
endowment  and  of  the  sanctity  of  clerical  jjovcrty  which  he 
had  formerly  taught  in  tic  Iniversity.  Humors  of  his  sen- 
timents were  verified  i)y  his  actual  dcclaraf  s  and  his 
writings  were  closely  scrutini/ed  for  further  e  ices  of  his 
disaffection    by    those    whose    practices    were    unsparingly 


I 


1  .,ii- 


'  WyclifTo's  coniioctiDn  with  Ji.lin  of  Cunnt  niiu'lit  iilso  li.ivc  iiiiM'ii  from 
the  Ijict  f  hilt  the  manor  of  WyohtTe  was  in  tlic  '  honor  of  Uirlmioml,'  ono  of 
Ciaunt'a  fief:*. 


!]' 


8G 


THREE    IIEMOIOUS    LEADEUS   OK   OXFORD 


assailed,    aii.l    also    by    others    whose    honest   convictions 
opposed   his  own. 

Ainoiijj  the    latter   was    William    Courtenay,  the   aristo- 
cratic Hi>liop  of  I Ion,  a  ineinhcr  of  the  family  of  the  Earls 

of  Devon  and,  on   his  mother's  side,  a  direct  descendant 
of  Kdward  I.      This  prelate   forced   the   hand  of  the  tcm- 
I»(Tate  Archhishop  Su.lhnry,  whom   he  virtually  sui)i)lanted 
as  leader  of  Jhe  clerical  i)arty,  and  Wyditrc  was  summoned 
early  in  i:{77  either  heforc  Convocation,  or  more  probahly, 
acc()rdinK  to  Mishc.p  ('reijr|,toii.  before  the  Archbishop  as  his 
Ordinary,  to  answer  charp-s  of  heresy,  which  had  been  pre- 
ferred aj,'ainst  him  for  his  opinion  coiicerninj,'  the  wealth  of 
the  duirch.     On  February  nineteenth  of  that  year  the  He- 
former   apinarcd    at    St.    Paul's   (^ithedral    to'  defend    his 
position,  accompanicil  i)y  four  friars  of  Oxford,  and  under 
the  escort  of  John  of  (Jaunt  and  Lord  Henry  Percy,  who 
eleven  days  previously  had  been  made  -Marshalof  Kngland  as 
the  price  of  his  supjMirt  of  the  Lancastrians  and  in  place  of 
the  Karl  of  March,  wh(.  was  exiled  to  Calais.     The  dramatic 
but  useless  scene  which  followed  has  \ividly  impressed  itself 
upon  the  imagination  of  later  generations.     Gaunt,  who  was 
detested   by  the  freemen  of  the  city  for  liis  cupidity  and 
arrogance  no  less  than  for  the  plottinf;s  and  chicaneries  of 
his  followers,  stood  at  Wycliffe's  side  throughout  the  stormy 
interview,  fuming  and  threatening  that  he  would  pull  down 
the  pride  of  all  the  bishops  in  Kngland.     He  was  aware  that 
\\ yd iffe  was  regarded  as  the  instrument  of  his  schemes  for 
the  confiscation  of  Church  offices  and  reveimes.     Sudbury 
and    Courtenay    were    not    intolerant    prelates,    but    rather 
ecclesiastical  politicians,  whose  decision  to  resist  the  Duke's 
measures  can  be  ascrii)e.l  to  their  vigilance  «m  Iwhalf  of  the 
menaced  privileges  which  they  held  essential  to  the  existence 
and    stan.ling  of    the  Church.     Percy's    insolent    behavior 
exasiM-rated  the  sjH'ctators  crow<liiig  the  aisles  of  the  ancient 
church  and  the  ailjacent  streets,  and  the  disturbance  which 
attended  the  passage  to  the  Lady  Chapel  annoyed  Courtenay, 


JOHN    WYCLIFFE 


87 


who  (IcdamI,  had  he  kimwii  iHfonhand  that  IVrcy  wdiild 
act  the  inasttr  in  the  Catlicdral,  lit-  would  have  barred  his 
entrance.  Tlie  Duke,  l)hnd  with  ra^'e,  nplieil  for  his  re- 
tainer that  he  slionid  (h.  a>  lie  pleased.  While  i)rin(e  aiul 
prelate  exehanj;ed  defiances,  Wyclitl'e  seem-  to  have  eahnly 
awaited  the  hearing'.  Kven  Conrtenay,  the  most  j,'irt(<l  and 
resolute  of  his  foes,  whose  opposition  finally  cnished  the 
Wycliffian  movement,  sank  into  couiparative  insi;;nificanee 
when  contrasted  with  the  last  ;rreat  Schoolman  of  Kurope, 
the  first  clerk  of  Oxford  aiul  the  nol)lest  and  most  astute 
thinker  left  in  a  decatlcnt  and  reactionary  n^v.  Lechler's 
idealized  dt  ;cription  ixtrtrays  him  as  "a  tall,  thin  figure,  clad 
in  a  lonjr,  lijiht  jjowu  of  Mack,  with  a  jrirdle  ahont  his  body; 
his  head,  adorned  with  a  full,  flowiiifr  heard,  exhihitiiifr  fea- 
tures keen  and  shari)ly  cut,  his  eye  clear  and  penetrating;,  his 
lips  firmly  closed,  in  token  of  resolution  —  the  whole  man 
wearinf;  an  asjM-ct  of  lofty  earnestness,  and  replete  with 
dignity  and  character."  ' 

The  issue  between  the  two  parties  was  sharj)ly  drawn  and 
thorough  examination  was  doirable,  since  tin-  justice  of  the 
ease  was  by  no  means  confined  to  (Jaunt's  faction,  but  the 
decorum  befitting  so  grave  a  trial  was  altogether  al)sent. 
Heated  rejoinders  and  personal  vilifications  ended  any  pre- 
tense to  judicial  dignity,  and  were  so  freely  used  that  (Jaunt, 
overmatched  verbally,  resorted  to  threats  of  physical  vio- 
lence. The  Londoners,  who  loved  neither  Conrtenay  nor 
the  Duke,  had  already  been  aroused  by  the  introduction  of  a 
1)111  into  rarliament  on  that  very  afternoon  which  propose<l 
to  deprive  the  city  of  its  numicipal  rights  and  vest  its  govern- 
ment in  an  ofhcial  chosen  by  the  Court.  This  news  created 
such  a  tunuilt  against  Lancaster  that  the  sitting  was  sus- 
pended, while  in  the  riot  which  ensued  he  was  com])elled  to 
flee,  and  barely  escaped  with  his  life.  The  enraged  citizens, 
disappointed  of  their  i)rcy.  sacked  his  Palace  of  the  Savoy, 
refusing  to  desist  till  Hishoj)  Conrtenay  interposed  to  avert 

'  "John  WyclilTe  uiul  liU  Knglisli  I'rciursDrs"  ;    p.  I."i9. 


ss 


TIIUKK    KKLKJiois    LKAlJKKH  OF   OXFORD 


f 


hf.r  urth.T  v,„K'.-a,..r.  Tl„.  iMuvxprncI  .K-livoranoe  of 
Uychll..  (nnvincr.!  tl...  vvrit.T  of  tlu-  KukIIsIi  Chronicle  that 
till'  nifin-  allair  was  a  -Irvic-  ..f  thi-  .It-vil  t..  protect  his  elect 
siTvaiit. 

("niirt.-nay  now  ha<l  recourse  to  th<'  Hojv  See.  which  re- 

quireilhtth- instigation  from  him  to  interfere  in  Kn^hsh  affairs 
'•■Ml  on  May  22,  l;;77,  Cre^.-ry  XI,  who  ha.i  just  restorcl 
the  I  ai)acy  to  Home,  [.romuiiratci  there  in  the  church  of 
N.  Maria  Ma^^inrc  five  hulls  a^'ainst  Wycliffe.  which  he 
.hspatchejl  t<.  the  kin«,  the  Arehl.i.hop  of  Canterhurv,  the 
1  isl.op  ot  London,  an.l  the  Cniversity  of  Oxford.  TliVee  of 
these  hulls  were  jointly  direcfd  to  th."  IViinate  and  the 
Hish<.p,  and  tl...  other  two  to  th..  kii.j;  and  the  Cniversitv  re- 
spectively      KiKl,te.-n   errone.Mis   articl.s    were   transcrihed 

trom  WyhllVs  writing's, all  of  which,  with  <.ne  excepti were 

correctly  (,uoted   from   his    treatise"!),.    l)„mini„    ('ivih  " 
1  hey   were   condemned  as  theses  and  their  conclusions  ex- 
poumlcd  and  repu.liat...l,  the  I'-ntiiramrmirif;  with  truth  that 
their  sul.stanc.-  was  to  l.c  fonn.l  in  the  works  of  MarsiRlio. 
the  advocate  of  the  imperial  c.misc  against  .lolm  XXII.     The 
•  loctriiu-  of  evangelical   poverty,   whj,  1,   WvcliflV  set  forth 
aj^'amst  the  material  magnificence  ,,f  the  .\viiriion  Court,  to- 
gether with   his  tluory  of  lordship,  supplied   the  material 
wlucii    now    came    under   oflicial    censure.      The    hull    ad- 
dressed   to    th,.    rniv.rsity    chid,.,|    its    inemhers   for    siif- 
ferinj;  "tan-s  to  spruij;  uf)  anionj,'  the   pur,-  wheat  of  their 
^h.rious  fi,.|,r-;  ,1...  ,„K.  to  the  kin;;  praycl   him  to  «rant 
the   lapal   conumssion.-rs   his  favor  and   protection  in  the 
dischar^,.    of    th..ir   .hity.     Su.lhury    and    Courtenav    were 
rcprovcl    as    "slothfiilly    n,.,i;liK..nt,    insomuch    that    latent 
motions  an.l  att..mF.ts  .,f  th,.  ,.n.-my  ar..  perceivcl  at  l{ome 
I'Hore  th..y  ar,.  oppos,.,|  i,,  Knjrian.l."     I'|,.narv  ix.wers  w.-re 
«rant,..l  t..  th..  hi.h..ps  t.,  a-^crtain  wh,.th.T  these  ,H-stiferous 
"P'H'-ns  w,.r,.  a.tually  tauj^ht  l.y  Wy,-|iH'e,  an.l  the  Pope  di- 
recte.l  that  '-tlu.sHi.l  .Folm  "  shoul.l  he  arr,..te.l  an.l  impris- 
one,l  m  s.it,.  cust...|y  until  further  c..mman.ls  were  received 


.loiiN  ^^^(•|,IKK^; 


89 


The  fdicts  rfuclnMl  Kn^rlaiMl  iit  an  iiiopixtrtiiiio  moiiii'iit. 
Kdward  111  dud  on  .fiinr  twciity-tirst  i>f  that  .Vfar;  the 
first  I'lirhaiiieiit  of  Kidiard  II  at  iiiice  iiiaiiitV^tfd  a  strong 
iitiimus  a>;airist  the  eiicmac  hriMiit^  (.1'  the  l'ai)a(\ ,  and  tlie 
rejieney  of  the  Princess  of  \Vale>  was  controlled  In  political 
exigencies  which  for  the  time  made  Wyclitle  th<-  leader  of  the 
nation  at  lar(,'e.  Ih'  was  con^ullcd  l>\  Parliament  as  to 
"  wlu-ther  the  realm  mifjlit  not  legitimately  stoj)  the  i-xport  of 
fjold  to  {{oine,  considerinf:  the  tiece^--itics  of  her  defense," 
and  promptly  an^wvretl  in  the  allirmative.'  "The  Pope." 
he  arjined.  "eamiot  demand  treasnre  e\cept  liy  way  of  alms 
and  l)y  the  rule  of  charity,  hnt  all  charity  hc^^imicth  at  home, 
for  onr  fathers  endowed  not  the  (hnrch  ;it  larj,'e,  Itnt  the 
Cluin'h  ()f  Knf,'liind."  The  docinnent  conchided  with  the 
plea  "that  the  pxxls  of  the  ('hnrch  >liunld  he  prndently  dis- 
tributed to  the  K'ory  of  (Jod,  puttint:  a-ide  the  avarice  of 
prelates  and  princ«s.  " 

The  last  clause  annoyed  those  who  had  predatory  pur- 
poses of  their  own,  and  he  was  enjoined  In  the  youn);  kinj; 
and  the  Council  to  keep  silence.  Hut  Parliament  and 
people  were  so  enthnsiasticall\-  in  favor  of  Wyclitfe  that, 
wliile  John  of  daunt  wa^  cxchided  from  the  Council  of 
his  nephew,  any  elfort  to  indict  the  Keformer  would  have 
been  an  attemi)t  to  indict  the  nation.  It  is  not  surprising? 
that  the  higher  cler>;y  acted  clrcnms])cctly  at  t!iis  jimcture, 
or  that  tlie  I'niversity  donlited  whether  the  Papal  hull 
could  he  receivc.l.  The  .\r<lil)ishoi)'s  rc(iuest  that  Wyc- 
liffe  should  appear  lieforc  the  Commi-sioners  in  Pehruary, 
l.'57S,  was  extrcniely  courteous  in  tone,  and  made  no 
mention  of  the  sc\crc  measures  the  Pope  had  conmianded 
in    the   event    of    his    rcsistancr.     He    carac    to    Lambeth, 

'  The  export  i.f  (IdI.I  fmin  i:ni;l.iii.l  l.y  1  lie  rcli!,'ii>Ms  onlcrs  w.is  a  ooiist:ilit 
drain  ,,u  tin-  ikhIom.  Am  cxamplr  i^  liiniisli.vl  l,v  tin.  f,,ii\-  i:i,i;|iv|,  ,|,.. 
peii.Ien<-ii"«  .,f  the  I'midi  Al.hr.v  ..f  Clini.v,  ulji.h  in  Wvcl'in,.V  tinn.  rc- 
niittod  miMiially  l.i  the  liittiT  |.l:ii'c  ;i  .siiiii  f(|iii\  aliMit  lo  ¥:ill(l.lM)0  ,,r  iii,,ri' 
in  modern  money.  I'Iuti'  were  in:iny  oilier  inst:ini-es  of  tlii.-i  contimial 
exiietioii. 


1 


•to 


THUKK    UKLKilOUS    LKADKIIS  OK   OXFORD 


iM.t  in^,u^:  u>  til.-  |.|,...,s  „f  tin-  IViiurss  Dowapcr  of  Wales 
iind  tlu-  <laii.or  nC  il,,.  |H.|.iili„r.  tho  ounclave  was  sfHH'dilv 
.Iiss..Iv,m1.      (oi.rtinay    with.ln-vv    his    (I.Ticals.    who    were 
|)rnl,al.ly  much  nli.vr.l    to   l„.  fnrd   from  their  thankless 
task.      Maiiv    .,r    the    Oxfonl    <|.Ht..rs    were    in    sympathy 
with  Wyciiire's  hcrcMe.;  fven  his  enemies  hesitated  to  lay 
liands  ..n  an  influential  s.il.jVet  at  the  heh.-st  of  a  foreij,/,, 
ruler,  and  durm-  the  .ri.is.  the  ulterior  aims  of  politieians 
and    the  patriotic  pride  ..f  .itizens  united  to   sustain    the 
IMormer  as  the  upholder  of  national  honor.     Walsinwham 
<hronicler  of  .St.  .Ml.ans,  niournd  ..versuch  a  dearth  of  zeal' 
imd  ehid.-d  the  cowardice  of  the  l.isho,)s  who  were  as  "reeds 
shaken  l.y  the  win.l.     Their  speech  heeame  as  .soft  oil,  to  the 
loss  ot  their  own  diKiiity  and  the  injury  of  the  Church.     They 
were  struck  with  such  a  terror  that  you  would  fanev  them  to 
»»e  'as  a  man  that  heareth  not,  in  whose  mouth  there  is  no 
r..proof.'"     This  j.Temiad  provided  the  funeral  baked  meats 
or   the    anti-UyclifIi;,„s.    whose    personal    attacks   on    the 
Heh.rmer   virtually  ended   in  the  important   vear  of   1.37S 
when  the  Creat  .Sliisin  turned  the  attention  oi  bishops  and' 
statcsm,.n    t..  hercsiarchs  ,.f  larger  magnitude,  and   tu   the 
«'vils  that  arose  out  of  their  conduct. 


II 

Wycliffi's  emphatic  nationalism  developed  his  first  heresies 
round  the  jjrievances  of  the  .State.  I)ut  he  passed  on  to  dis- 
cover ni  .Scripture  and  Afx.stolic  custom  i  firm  basis  for  his 
remonstrance  a;,Minst  the  friars.  His  former  sentiments 
toward  their  s.lf-imp„sc(l  pov.-rty  and  sanctitv  were  respect- 
tiil  and  airccti..Mate.  He  spoke  of  tlu-m  as  "tliose  evangelical 
Mien  very  d.ar  to  (I.mI."  and  his  early  distinction  between 
tiicmand  the  wealthy  monastic  orders  (reli^osi  i)ossessioiiati) 
was  accoinpanic.1  l.y  an  unmeasiir(>d  rebuke  of  the  indolence, 
mercenary  disi)o>itioii,  and  i)ri(Ie  of  the  monks.  Historians 
are  generally  agreed  that  it  was  not  till  the  \ear  13S(».  when 


JOHN    WYCLIKKK 


91 


first  he  nttackwl  the  iloctrim-  of  tin-  Muss,  that  lie  hfcnmo 
em hroi It'll  witli  tin-  friiirs.'  Hi-  this  as  ii  may,  his  iiviTsiitri 
was  not  proiiomict'd  m.  Inn;;  as  he  n-cot'iiizt-d  that  the  early 
Franciscans  had  Iwcii  cstahlislicd  for  the  ciliKcatiori  of  the 
Church.  Hnt  when  he  witnessnl  with  all  observer^  their 
ineoneeivahly  rai)i(l  (le;;ineration  his  refereiues  eeased  to 
\w  eiiio^'istic;  in  \'A7S  he  i)rot«'ste(|  apiiiist  those  practices 
which  were  divorceil  from  their  vows,  and  after  HiSl  he 
was  their  relentless  ()pj)onent.  This  revulsion  was  the  more 
complete  because  of  his  previcms  re^'ard  for  their  excellen- 
cies. Ilis  unl)endinK  nature  could  not  forgive  their  oiwu 
derelictions,  and  these  profoumlly  influenced  his  attitude 
toward  clerical  authority  and  do<trinal  orthodoxA-.  .\s 
monasticism  in  general  was  thus  the  second  important 
factor  in  his  controversies  with  theChurch.  a  word  of  explana- 
tion concerning  the  (»ri^'in  and  j)ro^Tess  of  t!ie  various  orders 
will  eiiahle  us  better  to  underst.nd  their  relation  to  medieval 
ecclesiasticism  and  to  Wvcli 

Monasticism  arose  in  the  -letit,  and  was  conmion  t(» 
antiquity  as  well  as  to  iniMlern  times;  to  Buddhism  and 
Mohammedanism,  as  well  as  to  Christianity.  In  the  third 
and  fourth  centuries  the  deserts  of  K^ypt  ami  Syria  abounded 
with  hermits  and  anchorites,  who  enmlated  tl,  ri^'or  and 
followed  the  precepts  of  St.  .Vnthony  and  St.  raclioniius. 
The  former  was  the  first  Christian  monk,  and  admittedly 
the  father  and  prototype  of  Christian  monasticism  ;  the 
latter,  its  organizer,  who  founded  nine  retreats  with  three 
thousand  inmates  and  drew  up  rules  for  their  ;;uidance  in 
fraternity  life.  Pachomius'  cciiobitical  rules  were  made  still 
more  stringent  by  Basil  the  (Ireat  in  Cappailocia.  When  the 
system  entered  the  West,  it  received  a  practical  impulse  and 
flourisluMl  under  better  forms  than  in  its  original  home. 
Bentnlictine  houses  and  congregations  arose  spontaneously, 
with  leaders  of  piet\-  and  pers;>nal  gifts,  whose  work  was 
adopted,  regulated,  and  utilized  by  the  inclusive  policy  of  the 
'  Bishr^p  Mandell  Crcightoii :   "Hislorioal  Kssays  and  Kevicws"  ;  p.  192. 


„l 


i    N 


!>-♦        THUMK    liKI.MiluLs    I.KADKUS   OK   (».\K()UI) 

lli.l.N   S.r.     'I'lir  t'liiMlaiiKiiliil  liiw-,  wliidi  p)\,.rriiil  all  iilik*> 
utrr  lalM.r,  |>(.\.rl\,  nlxdinirr,  iiii<l  (•liii>lit\  ;    Itciinitli  their 
M\.i,\     inuii;t>fi(i>iii    lixcl    thr    'laii.lnriU    aixl    al)Mirl)c<|    tin- 
fiircc^  nl'  liic  <'lmr(li,  li. t  .!(.<  trine  an<l  lier  devotion.     \ot- 
witli>faii.liii;:  the  fail  that  l.v  \V\  .lillV,  time  the  virtues  ami 
J'ehieveiiieiit,  ol'llie  M    telii  liaij  |)a.>e.|  into  deelilie  iiiul  could 
no  longer  overn.iiie  the  Mll'-a^-eriion  of  the  i>a;.'an  world,  ii^ 
earlier  rei:iine  had  |>rote.ted  an  ifiiinatnre  ei\  ili/ation,  and 
was  um  fnl  in  the  rednetii.n  of  its  liriital  tendeiu-ie^.     The 
rnona-tie    eell-    en>lirine.l    the    a>(etiei^rn>    and    j)ra\tTs    of 
ininnneral.lc'  luvcr-  of  (n.d  who^'  hard  j)itile>s  life  was  illumi- 
nated iiv  thoM'  enii>ii,,ii.  and  meditation^  which  are  the  re- 
verheration^  of  eiiinily  within  the  human  >i)irit,  and  tin-ir 
\  i^ions  of  infinitude  and  holinc^-,  are  now  reflected   in  some 
of  the  choi(c,|  devotional  literature.     Cjoi-tral  life  in  its  l>est 
I)eriods  fiirnivjicd  a   ernler  for   the   -spiritual   a^jtirations  of 
mankind,  an<i   protected  them  airain-t  a   Church   too  often 
secularized   in   heart   and   m.uI  and  a    world  filled  with  folly, 
lu>t,  an<l  cru.  !i\ .      [n  ad.lition,  the  fir-t  nioidvs  were  a>;ricul- 
turali>t.s  \\iin>c  holdinj;>  were  modeU  of  thrift  and  industry. 
They  did  for  the  rural  pro\  iiicc-,  a  work  similar  to  that  done 
h\   the  frailr  truiliU  for  the  citie-^  and  towns.     '1  ,»■  reirulars 
Were    more   than    rci  Ium>    occu|).\ini;    retn-ats    where   their 
l)eautiful  ^tnicturc^,  clu^teriiii,'  around  a   Norman  or  Marly 
KM^Ii-.h  church,  arose  \>\   the  side  of  -.onic  (piiet  .stream  eii- 
•  ircled    hy    wdods  and    meads.       .\nr  did    they   sj)end    their 
entire    time    in   a    round    of    ritualistic    offices    while    the,\ 
de|«'nded   on   inherited   or  contriliuted   means  for   support. 
They  clci    ed  the  kind  of  liracken  and  hramiile,  drained  and 
tilled  it,  du;r  the  fishponds,  reared   the  harns  which  housed 
the  harvests  of  an  erstwhile  wilderness,  and  l)uilt  the  fanes 
they   filled   with   |)salmodies.     Their  economic  and   relifjious 
value  for  the  Iialf-star\ cd,  ignorant  jx'asantry  was  very  con- 
-ideralile.      Thi-,  pioneer  woik  t.iUL'iit  the  rustics  to  have  sonic 
care  for  their  hodics  and  lioincs,  and  the  monks  further  in- 
structed them  in  respect  to  their  souls'  welfare.     .\  colonizing; 


•lOIIN    WNCMIKK 


m 


liiihit  a. Ill  a  I'oiiiiniini^iii    life  \\,rr  tlir  fncn^  fur  riiiv>i(>iiar\ 

••ffi)rts,   in   wlii.li   hIik utioiiiil   prov  i^inrw  and    r liml  «|is- 

|M'iisarirs  \v<Tf  in.  Iihli  .1.  Ilu.pitalitv  wa>  a  >a(Tci|  .Iiit\ , 
«'ml)ra<iiiK  "II  rank^  nml  •  nnilitiini^.  'I'lir  xc^tijjcs  r.f  art 
wliicli  siirvivnl  that  ^furiny  intt Trr;.Mimii  win-  prcxrvcd 
in  tin-  inoiia^tfrics.  'I'Iks  uitc  tli.-  tna-nrc  Ikmi.scs  for 
tlif  tr.ditioii.s  and  cxaMipIc,  i.f  a  fnriiHT  Iraniirii;,  and  the 
.sacred  liooks  and  tlir  writing-,  of  tlic  lathers  were  kept 
intact  in  their  lil>raries  and  cupicd  in  their  >(ri|)t(iria. 

Hilt  tlie  institution  which  \\;i,  ( omparativcly  irrcj.ro  ich- 
ahle  ill  the  tenth  century  \\ii>  (picMioiial.h'  in  tlu'  foiirtei  ath  : 
later  iiionastici-,ni  liad  for^akcn  M.nic  of  it-«  healthy  ucciipa- 
tiitiis.  and  was  no  ioiipr  kept  pure  l.,\   -.acrificial  toil.      It  in- 
curred the  adNcrse  jiid^inent-  of  >nch  loyjd  ('.•itJK.Iics  as  St. 
Htiiiaventiire.  St.  CatheriiU'  of  Siemia,  and  the  j;rcat  (Jerson 
liiniseif.'     The  details  of  ii>  deca.lcncc  arc  too  lcn^'tii\    for 
recital  here,  nor  do  tlie  learned  and  ai)olojretii-  works  of  such 
writers  as  Cardinal  (:as(|i,,t  -deal  ii>  fully  n- could  he  desired 
with  the  oflicial  arrai^rnincnt-  of  the  re;;ular  cler;.'y  ilurinj; 
the  four  ceiiturio  preceding;  the   Iteforination.     Tlic  state- 
nient.>  tluTcin  contained  arc  explicit  a.iil  conclusive,  and  the 
("ardiiial's  «xi)Iaiiations  arc  characteri/cd  l>y  a  parti>anship 
which  tin-  <-arcful  student  i^  hound  to  take  into  consideration. 
On  the  other  liaml,  Thorold  Uo^ts'  descriptioi!  of  thi-  lat«T 
ni<)na-<teries  as  "(h'lis  of  ^duttony  nnd  vii-e"  i-  entirely  too 
severe.     .Vhandoiicd  wickedness  wa^  prc\  alcnt  in  >onie  (piar- 
ters,  hut  it  was  the  ciception  and  not  the  rule.     Where  the 
cliar^'cs  of  inuiiorality  are  tna-.  as  arc   thoM-  ;;ivcii  in  the 
pain.stakiuK  accounts  of  Dr.  II.  C,  I,ca,  they  are  likely  to  he 
misleading  unlos  ref.'ardcd  in  relation  to  the  aj;c  in  which  the 
offenses  were  coinniittcd.     Th,.  restraints  and  licenses  of  piih- 

[J„h„  (;,r.„.„  (\:\i\:\  llJ<t,.  rr,.,„.|,  .,.|„,|.,,-  ,,i.l  .livlr.r,  Cliir.rollor  of  tl,,. 
I  nivcrsity  c,f  I'ari-  iin.l  IcM.lini;  S'liil  m  il,,'  I  :,-,in„„j.':,|  (  ■,„iiiciU  of  I'i>i 
ami  Ciinstriii,-,..  Mr  l:il„„v.|  to  -pirn,,.,;,/,.  ui,nvr-n\  Nf,..  ivlonii  f  ,-  rU-ruv 
<in.l  .-11(1  tlu'  ClMir.li  -.l.i^i,,,  ;u„|  :,|-,,  I,,  :,l„,||,l,  .,.h,.|,,sii,.  -iihil  i,.,  fr,  '  ' 
the  iiriiviTsity  i-iiiiiiiilurji. 

•The  U.vKJ  of  III,.  li,.ri,.,|irii,i,.^  j,,  I  :i,i-|:,ii,|.  .•li'\:iti',l  [,,  il,,. 
lege  oil  .May  J,'),  I'.U  J. 


m 


II  Ml 


.Ti'd  Col- 


94        THREE    RELIOIOUS   LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

• 

lie  opinion  were  felt  even  in  thv  cloister ;  its  devotees  were  not 
all  of  ii  sui>erior  sort ;  to  a  great  «'Xtent  they  represented  the 
social  conditions  from  which  they  had  been  transferred, 
and  tliey  shoidd  not  he  condemned  without  reference  to 
current  i)ractices,  which,  altliough  they  do  not  excuse,  help 
to  e\j)hnn  the  failure  of  rclif^ious  professions. 

Spora<lic  attacks  of  sensuality  were  not  the  real  causes 
which  led  to  the  decline  of  monasticism.     The  system  ceased 
to  live  because  it  had  forsaken  its  first  love  and   lay  en- 
Kulfed   in  its  selfish  introsiK-ctions.     The  terms  monk  and 
monastery    lost    their    once    grateful    sound ;     local    com- 
ments turned  froui  j)raise  to  blame;  esteem  and  affection 
Rave  place  in  the  breasts  of  their  tenants  and  underlings  to 
coiitemi)t  and  hate.     The  hostels  of  the  lowly  Xazarene,  iu 
which  the  poor  and  the  mainied  were  i:o  longer  welcome, 
housed    lordly   abbots   and    their    wasteful    retinues.     The 
ellects  of  the  unseemly  change  were  seen  in   many  direc- 
tions, and  in  none  more  than  in  this,  that  whenever  local 
riots  arose  the  monastery  or  abbey  was  almost  sure  to  be 
the  first  building  upon  which  the  iK-ople  vented  their  dis- 
pleasure.    When  WycliiFi"  assailed  the  monks  and  friars  they 
were  no  longer  formidable.     The  seculars  had  begun  to  sup- 
plant  them  in  the  cure  of  souls;   the  Iniversities  had  found 
them  a  negligible  (piantity  ;  the  education  of  the  youth  of  the 
nation  had  j)assed  out  of  their  keeping;   the  people  resented 
their  aloofness;    the  biirons  hungered  for  their  broad  a<Tes, 
and  patriots  viewed   them   as   the  watchdogs  of   an  alien 
power. 

At  this  juncture,  when  the  noble  impulses  of  Benedictines, 
Augustinians,  Kranciscans.  and  Dominicans  were  trembling 
on  the  verg<'  of  extinction,  the  ravages  of  the  Black  Death 
destroyed  at  a  blow  one  half  the  inmates  (»f  the  religious  houses 
in  England.  Then,  as  we  have  seen,  the  friars  rendered  a 
laudable  service  to  stricken  humanity.  But  the  fearful  visita- 
tion crushed  the  monastic  establishments.  Their  broken 
and  dispiriteil  survivors  could   not  fill  the  vacancies  thus 


JOHN    WVCLIKFK 


95 


<Toato(l,  and  tiicir  fim.ls  vv.nf  minph'iiislicd  i>y  iiny  i-iitraiur 
f«'c.s.     In  Knfilan..    'iirinj;  tiic  t'oiirt.vnth  trnt'    ,•  imlv  sixty- 
four  new  niotiastcri.s  wvrr  (■stal)li>lic(|,  as  (oinpaml  \vitli  two 
hundred  and  niiuty-six  in  tlu'  tliirtccntli  crntury,  and  four 
bundrnl  and  ninety  in  tiie  twelftli  century.'     ("oneiiiation 
h\  means  of  a  more  |)nl)lie-niinded  |)(,li,y  and  service  was  at 
an  end.     The  state  of  airair>  Lcforc  Wy.lilVc  canie  ui)on  the 
.scene  has  lurn  dcpicte.l  In    Dr.  .h^ss,.],],:    the  numk  "fled 
away  to  liis  soHtu.h-   tiie  rapture  of  silent  adoration  was  his 
joy  and  exceediiij:  i^reat  reward  ;    his  nif,dits  and  days  nii<;ht 
he  sj)ent  in  prai>e  and  i)ray.r,  M.in. ■times  in  .study  and  re- 
search, .somethnes  in  hattlin-  with  the  pc.wers  (/darkness 
and    ijrnoranee,   Mimctiinc>   in   throwinj,'   himself  heart  and 
.soul  into  art  which  it  was  easy  to  persuade  himself  he  was 
doiuK  only  for  the  ^d,,ry  ,.f  C,,,] ;   |,„t  all  this  nui>t  p)  on  far 
away  from  the  l)u>y  hainit^  of  men,  certainly  not  within 
earshot  of  the  nniltitude."  - 

Monasticisni    had    received    repeated    warnin.us  to  .set   its 
hou.se  in  order;    nor  did  the  iTiju.ticc  of  some  of  its  enemies 
excuse  its  own  iMTversity  and  i>ridc.     It  evaded  cmharrassin^ 
situatiotis  and  sui)prcssed  realities  until  doc.m  fell  upon  the 
proudest  and  richest  order  of  it.^  chivalry,  the  K'nij;hts  Tem- 
plar, of  France,  and  none  cdiild  foretdl  where  the  next  stroke 
would  fall.     In  May,  l.'^dS,  fifty  kni-hts  were  hurried  to  the 
stake;   five  years  later  l'oj)c  ( 'lement  \'  decreed  the  dispersal 
of  the  order,  and   the  traircly  was  comi)letcd,   on   March 
14.  i:?l 4,  hy  the  hurnin;;  of  .laccpics  <lc  .M,,lay,  the  ('.rand 
Master,  with  three  of  his  principal  suhordinates.     A  ^mall 
island  in  the  Seine,  at  the  western  end  of  the  city  of  Paris, 
where  now  the  I'ont  .\euf  reMs  hctwccn  the  arm>  of  the  river! 
was  the  scene  of  the  execntion.     The  lianies  roM'  a,t;ain>t  the 
dusk  of  evening'  and  crimsoned  the  >h(.re>,  wiiich  were  lined 
with  .spectators.     While  the  (iraiid  Master  stood  in  the  fire 

an  tlu-liftooiilli  ,■,-,,(  iiry  only. ,i,,M,rtw,,,,,,.iuM..n,.sw,.n>l.uilt  ill  Kntil.iii.l, 
tho  rhiof  of  wf.irl,  was  tl,..  Hn,l::ri.„„.  >>.„,,  at  I.^lovurth.  Mi,i,Jk.s..x, 
f(mn(l<'il  hy  tli.|iry  \'  in  mcniuiy  ol   hn  t.itlicr. 

'  "The  Comiiin  of  tlii.-  l'riar>"  ;    ii.  7. 


!l 


I' 


ri 


9()       THKKK   RELIGIOUS   LKADKRS  OF  OXFORD 


and  slowly  roasti-d  to  dwitli  he  sunimoiu'd  the  Pope  and  the 
Frcruh  kiiiK  to  appoar  with  him  at  the  bar  of  the  Alinijjhty. 
Within  forty  days  Ch-infiit  ohoyc-d  thi>  call,  and  Philip  the 
Fair  within  the  yi-ar.' 

A  criitnry  and  inoR-  before  these  events,  monastieisni's 
loftiest  ideal  iiad  found  its  most  fH-rfeet  realization  in  St. 
Praneis  of  Assisi,  tiie  young  Italian  who  for  a  moment  molded 
the  world  to  iiis  own  will,  and  better  still,  kept  himself 
unspotted  from  it.  The  life  of  St.  Praneis  is  an  unjMTishable 
example  of  thedivinest  elements  victorious  in  human  n;;ture, 
surviving  every  vicissitude  and  bringing  the  race  nearer  to 
the  goal  of  rigiiteousness  and  obedience.  The  son  of  a  .ler- 
chant  of  Assisi,  Pietro  Hernardone,  he  is  said  to  have  re.  ived 
the  name  Pranciscus  because  he  was  born  during  his  father's 
absence  in  Prance  ir  11S2,  although  some  biograpliers  have 
attributed  it  to  his  own  residence  there  as  a  youth,  and  to  his 
familiarity  with  tlie  language  of  the  Troubadours.  In  12()('> 
he  was  brought  to  the  verge  of  death  by  successive  attacks  of 
sickness,  which  decided  his  career.  Out  of  their  regen- 
erating purification  emerged  the  transcendently  beatific 
figure  of  the  saint,  who  turned  from  his  boon  companions 
and  their  pleasures  that  he  might  taste  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come.  Uelin<iuishing  his  inheritance,  he  took  upon 
himself  the  vows  of  j)overty,  and  appeared  clad  in  a  single 
tunic  of  coarse  woolen  cloth,  girt  with  a  hempen  cord,  the 
dress  which  afterwards  became  the  garb  of  his  famous  order. 
The  greatest  of  the  Popes,  Innocent  III,  gave  liim  the 
sanction  for  which  Praneis  had  petitioned  tiiat  discerner  of 
spirits,  and  the  young  devotee  settled  the  constitution  of  his 
fraternity  upon  the  threefold  basis  of  chastity,  poverty,  and 
obedience.  Prom  the  beginning  the  second  of  these  vows  was 
first  in  spiritual  hn])ortance  and  efficacy.  The  chosen  mottt) 
of  the  l)rotiierhood  v  ,is  Clirist's  word,  "  Yc  cannot  serve  (lod 
and  Mammon';  its  practice,  that  each  member  should 
esteem  hiniM'lf  tlie  least  and  most  unprofitable  of  all.  "He 
'  M.  S.  ('.  Smith:   "Twenty  CenturitM  of  Paris";   pp.  115,  118. 


JOHN-    WYCLIFFE 


97 


that  will  Im-  chu.f  jiiiK.iif;  yon,"  Mii.l  tin-  t'ouruler,  "let  him  he 
voiir  servimt."  'i'liost-  whose  scif-consoqunur  wouM  not 
allow  them  to  snhniit  to  these  precepts  w.tc  rejeeted.  and 
the  remnant  heeanie  fratres,  freres,  or  friars,  who  wen- 
sent  out  to  proclaim  their  evangel  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth. 

The  companion  order  of  the  Dominicans  was  cstaMisl,,,! 

1.1  IJKl,  the  yearof  Innocent'sdealh  and  of  his  formal  anthori- 
zation  ot  the  Franciscans.     .St.  Dominic,  their  founder,  was 
ii  native  of  Calahorra  in  Old  Castile,  horn  in  or  ahoiit  117(1 
the  year  of  Hecket's  mnrdcr.     When  still  a  vounf;  man  of 
twenty-thrc.-  he  was  so  well  known  for  pietv  and  learninK 
that  th..  Bishop  of  Osma  ai>poinied  him  t<.  a  canonrv,  and 
rehed  upon  his  1„.|,,  in  Mu'  reform  of  the  ( 'hapter  according;  to 
the   AuKMistmian    rule.     His   missionary    lal.ors  amonj;   the 
Aloslcms,  an.l  espe-ially  anion-  the  .\ll.ijrenses  of  southern 
hranee.  convinced  Dominic  t'   ,t  the  cruelties  to  which  these 
sufferers  for  their  faith  wen      .hjectcj  could  not  convert  ..r 
even  shake  the  resolution  of  the  victims.     "We  must  meet 
them    with    other   weapons   and    jr-eater   faith!"    he   cried 
And    III    the   belief  that   such    luTcsio    lure.l    the    sonjs   of 
men    to   everiastinj;    ruin,    he   conceived    the    onler    which 
bears   Ins  nam.-.     On    De<eml.er  1'2.    IJlti.  he  ol.taiiu'd  an 
au<lience  with  liiiioc<-nt"s  successor.  Iloiiorius  III,  who  n-luc- 
tantiy  coiiHrmed  his  pn-de<rss„r's  stiiiulatioii  that  the  first 
Dominican  community,  then  located  at  the  Chunli  of  St 
Homain  in  T..uloiise,  should  he  calle.1  a  house  of  .Viifjiistinian 
•■auoiis.     The  endowiiK'nts  of  .St     Dominie  as  a  'i)n-acher 
naturally  le<l  him  to  insist  on  the  agency  of  th(  pulpit  for  the 
silencing'  of  opponents  and  the  instnietion  of  theijrnorant.' 
In  1220  the  Dominicans,  imitatiiiji  the  Franciscans,  adopt.'d 
vows  of  pov.Tty  so  risid  that  not  even  as  a  corponitic.n  coul.l 
they   hold    houses  or  lands.      The  two  onlers.  thus   nearly 
simultaneous  in  their  ori-in,  wen-  known  fnnn  the  color  .'.f 
their   n.hes  a>  the  Cn-y   an.l    the    Mla.k   friars,  ^uhI    their 

'  .A.  .I.-ssopp:    ■The  (•(■mini;  of  111,-  I'liar^"  ■    r,     -4 
H 


m 


i 


98        TIIUEK    KKLICIOIS    LKAOEKS   OK   OXFORD 

mission,  wiiiie  pr.icticiilly  the  siiiic  in  its  (ihjVct,  \v;is  suffi- 
ciently varied  in  jnetliods  to  suit  their  (listin<'tive  ;;ifts. 

KiioukIi  lias  heen  said  to  indicate  that  monks  an<l  friars  were 
not  simply  <IiH'erent  in  dej;ree,  hut  also  in  k'uut.     Tiie  monk 
clnnj,'  to  his  jiossessioii^,  the  friar  had  not  wiiere  to  lay  his 
liead  ;   the  monk  lived  apart  from,  the  friar  witii,  the  people. 
Tile  self-al)ne;;ation  of  the  latter  set  him  free  to  spend  and 
he  spent   in  their  helialf.     While  he  rai>ed  his  voice  a^'ainst 
their  Iu>t>  and  ini(piities,  he  was  alive  to  their  distresses  and 
shared  their  hope.-,  and  fears.     The  story  of  the  first  ai)i)ear- 
aiice  of  the  friars  in  Kiijilaiid  dnriiif;  the  year  1J24  surpasses 
romance  in  its  fascinatioii>      'I'he  land   was  just  reeoverinj; 
from  the  relifiious  destitution  conscfiuent  upon  the  Papal 
interdict  a<;ain>t  Kini;  John  when  t'-'-v  entered  it,  deliverinji 
as  they  went  the  messaire  that  neitliu  hirtli,  nor  station,  nor 
riches,  nor  learning;  counted  for  aii.u!it,  hut  rather  j;oodness, 
meekness.  s.\  nqjathy,  and  truth.     .Men  could  live  ahove  the 
hase  and  the  vile,  and  find  their  Iiii,'he>t  selves  while  pursuinj; 
their    ordinary    xocations.     ^uvh    words    fell    upon    hearts 
lon^'iiiij  for  the  truth,   and   the  consistent   conduct   of  the 
j)reacliers,    seconded    hy   their   hrief  and    intense   sermons, 
piined    an   eatrcr   resiioii>e   from   all   cla»es.     The   striking 
reseml)lance  hetween  the  earlier  friars  and  the  itinerants  of 
oi^diteentli   century    .Methodism   has  heen   wiilely  ohserved. 
"St.  Francis."  comments  Dr.  Jessopp,  "was  the  John  Wesley 
of  the  thirteenth  century  whom  the  ("hurcli  did   not  cast 
out."     Moth  tlie  friars  and  tlu-  circuit  riders  saw  that  the 
Church  was  lifeless,  that  the  parochial  sy>tem  had  eollai)sed, 
and  that  the  only  means  of  recovery  wa>  hy  a  return  to  the 
sj)irit  and  letter  of  the  .\ew  Testament  K\ati;;el,  in  ahsolute, 
un(pie.>tionin^'  oiu'dieiice  to  its  teachinj;s.     This  they  essayed, 
without    disi)utiii^'    on    useless    issues,    aiul    unhindered    hy 
siiiHTfh.oiis  dojjmas  or  rules.     Hut  the  parallel  was  incom- 
plete in  one  salient  i)articular.     The  friars  were  eoiiformahle 
to  the  ^^'iieral  policy  of  the  Konian  Church,  and  when  John 
XXII  condemned  the  strict  ohservanee  of  the  vows  of  their 


JOHN    WYC'LIKFK 


99 


order  tlu-y  even  hnriit  tluir  l)rt'tlir»ii  who  clunjr  to  the  traili- 
tions  of  St.  Kriiiicis.     'I'lic  .Mrtlio(li>t  (  liiirclics.  wlictluT  in 
Kiif,'laii(l.  Amt-ricii,  or  clM'ttlitrc,  liavc  always  Ikcii  indepcii,!- 
cnt  of  any  •■ccloiaMical  anlliority  outride  tlicir  own  l)orders. 
I'apal  corrnption  liad   littl.'  to  fear  from  the  friars  so  Umn 
as  tlu-  <  iiria  fxiT.'iscd  control.     Wlifn  the  Spiritnal  Francis- 
cans developed  their  own  ;)riii(i])les  and  l)ecanie  the  Fratieelli, 
tliey  drew  ui)on  tlieni>cl\cs  the  censure  of  popes,  of  kinj^s, 
and  of  those  wiio  re])resented  the  conservative  interests  of 
society.     The  lower  minds  amonir  them  surrendered  those 
ideals  which   had  awed    Knrojje    into  adoration,  and   sank 
down  into  an  ori^aiiized  hyixxrisy.      The   loftier   intellects, 
wiio    did    not    share    .'^t.    i'Vancis'    contempt    for  learning;, 
were    harassed,    silenced,    hanished,    or    imprisoned,     l-'ore- 
most  amoni;  snch  men  was  Ito<:er  Bacon,  whose  vast  knowl- 
edj;e  and  invotij^atioiis  in  phy-ics  enal)led  him  to  confront 
tradition  and  antiiority  with  facts  demonstrated  hy  experi- 
ment.    Time  worked  its  deterioration  on  the  friar-'  sin;.de- 
ness  of  aim;    the  cvactini;  rei^imen  of  Assisi  was  honestly 
believed  hy  many  of  the  stint's  followers  to  he  impossihie  of 
fulfillment.     Spiritual  romanticism  was  follcwed  hy  sudden 
and  violent  disenchantment.     The  milleimial  \  ision  vanished 
after    its    collision    with    nality.     The    eonx  (pienees    were 
s'lch  as   mifiht  have  heen  expected  ;    those   wla.  set   up  as 
idealists  while  at  the  same  time  livin;;  oti  the  naturalistic 
level  hastened  tlu  triumph  of  the  forces  a<;;unst  which  they 
professed  resistance.     "Whether  there  he  piophecies,"  said 
the  Apostle,  "they  shall  fail;"   and    those   pseudo-prophets 
who  were  unahle  to  hreathe  tlie  rarefied  atmos])liere  of  the 
altitudes  attained  hy  Mcrs  of  tlie  past  couM  no  longer  utter 
oracles  with  any  nicininj:.     Vet  "Lo\e  never  faileth,"  and, 
althouf;h  tluir  l)rotherlioo.|  was  demoralized,  their  concord 
hroken  hy  disloyalties  and  divi>ion-.,  that  wonderful  example 
of  a  life  of  holinc-.■^  and  -ervice  which  at  the  first  the   friars 
plactnl  before  the  world  has  heen  n  -ource  of  strenj,'th  and 
inspiration  in  every  hramii  of  the  Cjuirch. 


■l'«l 


Ill 


li; 


1(K(      TUKKK    KKLKilOUS   LKADKKS   OK   OXKOIU) 

HI 

An  cxiMTt  in  adoptiiif;  otliiT  men's  ideas.  \\y<liflV  incor- 
{Hiratcd  tlic  friars'  doctrine  of  voluntary  poverty  into  his  own 
teacliinj:  and  <i'i)ied  tlieir  nietliods  of  evanj;elization  wlien  he 
sent  out  his  p.ior  preachers.     The  more  devout  amon^  them 
were  always  (  herished  hy  him,  and  he  coveted  their  aid  in  his 
revixal  of  tlieir  neglected  practices.     Some  responded,  and 
many  students,  failing;  to  notice  tliis,  have  been  puzzled  hy 
the  presence  of  four  friars  as  his  advisers  when  he  appeareil 
before  the  Convocation  at  St.    Paul's.     But,  once  he  was 
persu.nleii    that    the  orders   as  a  whole  were  lost   to  their 
liropcr  aspirations  and  no  lorifjer  abstained  from  all  pursuits 
conunon  to  men  that  they  mi>;ht  preach  the  (Jo.spel  of  Je.sus 
in  word  and  deed,  he  set  them  apart  for  contempt  and  scorn. 
They  were  outsi.le  the  |)ale  of  decency,  repr()l>ate  and  ab- 
normally wicked.     .\or  was   lie  alone  in  these  accusations; 
all  cla>ses,  s.ive  those  which  profited   by  the  friars'    lap.se, 
were  a  unit  in  protcstin<;  a^rainst  their  outrages,  hypocrisies, 
and  lusts.     Kxempt  f-om  episcopal  jurisdiction,   they  were 
severely   censured   l)y   the  bishops    who  could    not  control 
their  excesses.     The  monastic  orders  eyed  them  askance  as 
successful  ri\  als,  and  fiercely  assailed  them.     But  the  general 
and  prolon<:e<l  outcry  apunst  them  and  the  nearly  universal 
hatred  heaped  upon  their  works  and  ways  can  only  l)e  ex- 
plained by  the  fact  that  the  offenses  laid  at  their  door  were 
substantially  true.     They  had  fallen  to  the  lowest  levels  of 
society,  and  the  hei>:ht  of  their  first  endeavors  gave  momen- 
tum to  the  headlong;  descent. 

They  ijlossed  tlie  Serijiturcs  to  extenuate  the  crimes  of  male- 
factors, and  heard  confessions  and  jjranted  ab.solutions  with 
sach  tla<:rant  disrej;ard  for  the  sanctity  of  the  priestly  voca- 
tion that  the  Vopv  was  driven  to  contemplate  its  withdrawal. 
Freed  from  parociiial  responsibilities,  they  wandered  where 
they  pleased,  refusing  with  impudent  nonchalance  to  face  the 
results  of  their  evil  deeds,  and  leaving;  behind  them  an  in- 


JOHN'    WVCMFFK 


101 


creasinp  army  of  villains  an.!  .. inlaws  shriven  f..r  a  fir  an.J 
'•It-ansiMl  „f  all  tlu-ir  sins.  Tlu-s,-  s„rry  spfiMicns  „f  the 
par.l.,.m,K  power  were  tl.e  .lespair  of  the  se.ular  ,,riests  and 
"f  the  l.a.l.frs  alike.  Tl.e  sol.er  testimony  of  s,,,.},  .liKnitaries 
as  Archbishop  Kitzralph  supports  what  otherwise  miwht 
apF)<'ar  to  I.e  rhetori.al  exaji-erations.       Me   averred    that 

V'l  /""'w'r".".'  '  '""''  '"  "  •'*■'"■  ""l-areexeonmmni- 
(•ate.1  for  w.lltui  r..l.l,ery,  arson,  an.l  si.nilar  acts,  of  whom 

scarce  forty  come  to  me  or  my  parish  priests  for  confession 
preferrn.K   to   ,„nfess    to    the   l„.;:,uin.   friars  who   at   one- 
absolve  and  admit  them  to  c..inmunion."     "  A„y  accursed 
swearer,    extortioner,    or    adulterer,"    thundered"    Wvciitfe 
will  not  he  shriven  I,y  his  own  curate,  hut  will  p.  to  a 
flattering'  friar  that  will  assoil  him  falsely  for  a  little  money 
..V  the  year,  though  he  I.e  not  in  a  will  to  make  restitution  an.l 
to  leave  his  a.rursed  sin."     H,.  l.rande.l  them  with  the  name 
ot  (  ain.  spelt  ( 'aym.  and  taken  from  the  initials  of  theCarmel- 
itos,  Austins,  Jacohins  or   Dominicans,  and    Minorites    or 
l;ranciscans.     Their  farcical   pretensions   t..   reli,iri„us  over- 
sight were  .satirized  in  the  political  l.allads  of  the  street,  of 
which  the  followiiij;  stanza  is  a  specimen  : 

"For  liail  a  man  slain  all  his  kin, 
(»)  slirivc  him  to  a  friar. 
.\n.l  for  ifss  then  a  pair  of  shoon 
He  will  assoil  him  clean  an<l  soon." 

Chaucer's  optimism  ;;ave  place  to  irony  when  he  .lepicted 
amonjr  the  C.nterhury  pilgrims  the  monk  "who  had 
hut  one  fault,  for-etfulness  of  the  rules  of  his  order,  an.l  an 
inonlmate  love  for  hunting."  The  sm....th-ton^MU-.l  friar- 
the  summoiuT.  with  hi.  "  fin-red  pi,,,,,!,.,!  fa,,,  narr.,w 
e.ves  an.l  l.x.se  m.)rals;  the  par.loner  of  hear.lless  chin 
goKflle  e.ves,  .lark  .vellow  hair  and  s(iueakin«  Noice  "  were  an 
unedifyniK  Kr.)ui)  ..f  cleri.al  fi-iire.,  in  the  p.)et's  narrative. 

hundred.""'"'"'"''"'' ^   ""■""  ^'""'""''''■^  «'^'"«  '«"  <h,.u.sa,.  1.  „ther.s  two 


;1 


ill 


I 


i  :l 


^ 


102     TIIUKK    UKMdiOlS    LKADKHS   (»F   OXFOFtD 

Many  had  (Icp'iicratcil  into  hucksters;  "Charity,"  wrote 
LaiiKlaml,  "hath  tiirin<|  (■lia|)maii."  Their  profits  were  too 
often  siMTit  in  ilissipation.  The  friars  "knew  the  tavernes 
well  in  every  town."  Popular  soiij;s  inijjnted  to  them  the 
worst  of  erinies. 

"All  \vi(kci|||('>N  tllMl   IIUTI  Cilll  tell 
l{fi).'iiitli  tliifii  iiiiKiiij;, 
'riicrc  ^liiill  no  Mill)  liiiM.  nioiii  in  licll 
Of  friars  there  is  >ii(li  a  tlironn." 

Wycliffe  dill  not  accuse  them  of  the  f;rossest  forms  of  im- 
morality, hut  I.an^land.  widely  di\»'r;.'ent  from  him  in  tem- 
perament and  outlook,  did.  and  issued  his  tirade  against  the 
mendicants,  pardoners,  sununoners,  and  other  such  "cater- 
pillars of  the  conunonwealth."  'I'hcy  were  chiefly  intent  on 
huni<irin<;  the  lewd  and  the  jiodlcss  and  inducinj;  them  to  ojjen 
their  jxickets  after  their  haranjiues.  \or  did  they  confine 
their  solicitalio"  -  to  the  poor.  Lady  Meed,  the  incarnation 
of  illicit  ^'ain  in  "I'iers  I'lowman,"  had  scarcely  arrived  in 
London  when 

"('aii)e  there  a  coiifes-^or  coped  as  a  friar 

Then  he  aliMilveij  her  soon,  and  sitlien  iie  said. 
We  liave  a  window  a-workin^  will  eo-t  ns  fnli  hi>;h, 
Wonldst  thon  Klaze  that  j^nhU-  anU  );rave  therein  thy  iienic, 
.■sure  shall  lh>   m)uI  lie  heaven  to  lia\e." 

So  notorious  were  the  infamies  of  these  parasites  that  the 
authorities,  and  esiu'cially  those  of  the  I  iiiversities,  were  coin- 
I)clled  to  rise  a,i,'ainst  them.  Miit  the  friars  were  aware  of 
their  power  as  a  useful  orj^ani/ation  to  lie  em|)loye(l  in  emer- 
srcncies  hy  unscruiMdous  superiors.  They  also  had  a  firm 
hold  tipoti  the  i^inorant  and  tlu-  refractory,  whose  prejudices 
and  offenses  they  fostered  or  excused,  and  they  could  afford 
to  i<;nore  the  threateninjrs  of  the  !  i^her  cler-ry.  This  defiant 
attitude  was  emphasized  In  tli.-  alifinnic'it  of  the  orders 
in    opposite    political    camps.      The    I-Vanciscans   naturallv 


JOHN'    WYC'MFKK 


103 


ii 


cnst  their  wriKlit  on  the  si,|,.  „|'  fl„.  ,M'nsantry.  from  wliosc 
ranks  tlicy  were  n-cniittd  ;  while  tiic  I )()miiii(ans  fa\ urt'd  the 
wealthiiT  >;r(iU|)s.  IJoth  alike  w.-rr  advocates  u{  I'apal 
chiirns.  emissario  ot  IJome,  ami  (h-feii(i<Ts  of  the  hiKiicst 
saceniutai  views  of  the  priotii.KMl  ami  of  the  Sacrament 
(tf  the  Mass.  'I'hey  >liareil  in  the  re|)ressi(,n  of  int<'llectna! 
freedom  at  (Kfnrd,  and  Ininted  d.,wn  Wyclill'e's  preachers 
wherever  found. 

He  attriliiited  their  depravity  to  the  inflated  notions  of 
ch-rical  power  then  prevalent,  and  the  wanton  aiuise  of  its 
prero;:atives  conviruvd  hini  that  it  must  I.e  destroyed  before 
any  |)ermanent    reiorm    in   ilu^    Cluirch  could    he   accom- 
plished.    .\>  with   many  intellectual    people,   WydillV's  in- 
exorahle   rcasonin<;   was   more   consistent    than    his   insij;lit 
was  sure.      lie  did    not   perceive   that    the    real   cause  for 
the  hrei     'own  of  the   IVancixan    ideal   was  to  he    found 
in  the  inevitahle  reaction  which  followed  Francis'  premature 
attemi)t  to  project  hi>  scheme  on  an  agitated  and  wicked 
a«e.     NO  such  spiritual  conception  could  remain  alive  and 
prosper  unless  the  losses  to  its  diM-iples  from  death  and 
disaffection  were  rej)aired   In    compensatory  jrains  the  ad- 
verse conditions  of  the  perio.l  did   not   supply.     The  saint 
of  Assisi  was  >et    on   the   immcdiat*-   rc;;eneration   of  men 
and   society  after  the  pattern  of  his  own   transfornuition. 
The  less  ohvious  an<l  more  |)atient  processes  which  enahle 
the   mass   of   mankin<l   <;radually   to   transcend    the   limita- 
ti()ns  of  evil  in  themselves  and  in  tlieir  environment   were 
rejected   for   a    frontal    attack    u|)on    ini(|uity    and    .selfish- 
ness.  whi<'h.   while   it   was   mai;niKcent.   was    not  war.      It 
may  he  remarked  in  pas>in^r  that  the  decline  of  the  orders 
coincided   wit!     a    desirahle  chaii're   in  the  fortunes  of  the 
parochial   i)riestliood.     The  -eculars  were  no  longer  to  he 
ousted   from   their  <hari;es    nor  dej)rived   of  their  pastoral 
standiiif;,   nor  rohhed  of  their  income  in  order  that  some 
fraternity    nii<:ht    reap   advantage,   or   an   alrea.ly    wealthy 
abbey  be  increasingly  endowed.     The  founding  of  Mertoii, 


I 


; 


i,    I. 


^i::: 


i 


104 


TIIUKK    KKI.KiKH  S    LKADKUS   OF   OXKOHD 


Qumis.  im.l  .\,.«  („||,.K<->  «as  tlir  p-n.-sis  ,.f  an  «-(lii(ational 
syst.-m  iiit.-ii.lf.|  to  supply,  iimoiii;  ..tluT  rniuisitcs.  a  pxlly 
and  It'anifd  iiiiiii>try  fur  tli.-  .Iiurclus  (.f  tlir  nation.     The 
necessity  for  this  waited  h.n«  upon  its  fnHiHnient.  hut  at  any 
rate  the  diversion  had  heen  ina(h-.  and  while  the   regulars 
decreased  the  secnlar.  ^rew  in  efliciei„\  and  serviceahleness 
Morc.ver.  the  Hhi.k   D.'ath   L.tten-d  the  condition  of  t'le 
survivors  an.ouK'  the  |)arochial  chr^'y  |,\   iiicr.-asinj;  the  de- 
iiian.l  for  their  lal.ors.     The  registers  show  that  dnrinj;  an.l 
directly  after  the  potileiKv.  tlie  nninluT  of  priests  instituted 
to  living's  increased  from  thirty-seven  to  sc\eiity-four  in  every 
hundred    cases.       Notwithstan<lin;;   episcopal"  edicts,    their 
stipends    were    raised    cominensiirat.-jy,   and    in    this    and 
other  ways  the  disparity  hetween  then.  an<l  the  rest  of  the 
cler;:y  was  rediice.l.     Thus  the  HIack  Death  di.j  in  one  vear 
what  the  Kciinienical  Council  of  Lyons  had   conspicuously 
faile(l  to  accomplish,  altiioii>;h  suinnioiie<l  hy   a  reforming 
I'ontiir,  and  pronii)ted  hy  such  disciplinarians  as  .St.  B„iia- 
ventura  and  his  felh)w  Franciscan.  Kiides  Hi^aud  of  l{oiien.' 
From  the  moment  that  Wyditle  resented  the  sacerdotalism 
which  the  friars  emlxxlied  and  al.used,  his  severance  from 
Home  was  simply  a  question  of  time.     His  hesitancies  were 
dismissed  i)y  the  (Jreat  .Schism  which  six  years  before  his 
deaUi  tore  asuiKJer  the  I'apacy.  and  continued  from  i;}7,S  to 
1417.     This    event    convuls«-d    Christendom    and    gravely 
allected    the    standinj;   of    the    Holy    .See.     The   confusion 
and   distress   which    resulted    from    it    were  an  impressive 
tribute  to  the   historical   service  of  tiie   I'apacy  as  a  een- 
traliziufr  and  cohesive  power.     "For  ik  irly  ei^'ht  hundred 
years,"  says  Dr.  Workman,  in  an  ehxpient  passaj;e.  "Home 
had  stood,  not  merely  for  rij;hteousness,  l)ut  solidaritv.     Her 
bishops  were  not  only  the  vicars  of  (Jod  ;  they  were  the  sym- 
bols and  source  of  a  brotherhood  that  would' otiierwise  have 
j)erished.     .Men  remembered  their  services  in  the  past ;   how 
they  had  tamed  the  barbarians,  enforced  law  upon  the  lawless, 

'(i.  C.  C.  Cuullciii;    ■CliMucT  anil  lii>  KnclMiKr' :    p.  .■JO.-). 


I,  I 

M 


.lOIIN    VVWLIKKK 


10") 


prcache<l  tlio  sul>onliiintinii  (.('  tin-  iiidiviilual  to  siwirt.N . 
ourhfil  tlu'  lust  iiiiil  <l<>|)(.tisiii  of  kiii^s,  licM  up  idrals  of 
purity  and  truth  in  the  (iarkf.>t  aK'«-s,  sav«'il  tlie  ("luinli 
froul  the  triumph  of  the  (  athari,'  niaiiitaiiu-d  a  unity  of 
faiMi  and  hojM-  in  tlu-  days  when  ail  crcod  was  in  dan^ji-r  of 
disiiiti'>;ration."  '  Wiicthcr  or  not  t-vcrythinj;  in  t'-s  list  of 
notalilc  dcfds  was  IJotnc's  actual  work,  or  an  appro- 
priation of  that  of  (ithtr  a>;«iits,  the  pt-oplc  of  the  four- 
tofuth  (rntury  licit lur  knew  iior  cared.  It  suflicrd  for  the 
vast  majority  that  they  held  her  claims  valid,  and  her  I'on- 
tifl's  a  divinely  ordained  succe>si(>n.  Any  infriiiKt'inent  upon 
the  integrity  and  rights  of  the  throne  of  St.  i'eter  was  there- 
fore a  desecration  of  the  controlling,'  authority  in  civili/a- 
tioii.  There  had  always  existed  in  the  ("hurch  a  liheral  and 
lejcitimate  trend  of  thoii^jht  and  effort,  which  was  not  at 
variana-  with  any  vital  |)riiici|)le  ..f  Catholicism,  hut,  on 
the  contrary,  csst-ntial  to  its  fiuictions  as  a  unifying  force. 
The  representatives  of  this  trend  knew  that  "if  in  a  hij;her 
world  it  is  otherwise,  yet  here  helow  to  live  is  to  chan>;e,  and 
to  l)e  |H'rf«'ct  is  to  have  changed  often."  Yet  when  ^apicious 
ecclesiastics,  rccojrnizinj:  tiiat  the  human  element  in  the 
Church  stood  ever  in  need  of  correcti<in  and  readjustment, 
made  any  overtures  for  reform,  a  conflict  was  invariahly 
precipitated,    in    which    the    conservatives,    with  the    Vati- 

'  't  hr  Calhari.  nUo  known  ;is  l':inlici:iim.  Alliiiiriisos.  Mulcariiiin,  .\Iaiii- 
i-tioiiii«,  etc..  worr  ;i  widrly  sciiitcri'il  scit  liotli  in  liic  i:;i>|  ;iiiil  tho  Wi'st. 
Thpy  lH'lii'\i-i|  ill  ilic  i'xi>lciii<'  uf  twn  Coils,  one  l'ooiI.  tin-  other  mil,  liolh 
olpriial,  though  :is  :i  rule  tlicx  >iilioriliM:itiM|  llic  evil  In  tin'  (lood  :  lli.it  .><;it;iii 
inspired  cerlaiii  parts  of  the  ( llil  ■r.>>laiiieiii,  aii.i  »-,n  the  ruler  of  thi-.  world, 
whirh  WHS  spiritii.il.  not  luaterial  ;  th.il  all  irieri  would  finally  he  ,aved! 
l)Ut  that  those  dyini;  iinreeonciled  to  (I.mI  throuuh  Christ  iiiiist  return  to 
earth  for  a  further  lerni  of  inipri-onnieiit  in  the  flesh,  either  in  a  liiinian  or 
an  animal  liody.  'Ihev  fell  into  two  well-marked  divisions:  thi'  Cate- 
ohillnoiis  or  lielievers,  .and  the  I'erfeet,  who  hail  received  the  tiift  of  the 
Paraclete.  The  latter,  whii  h  inclmled  women,  formed  the  priestliiMxl  and 
controlled  the  Chiirch.  The  inflneni-e  of  the  Cithari  on  ('hristendoin  was 
enormous.  To  eoiiiiteract  it  Innoeeiit  III  instituted  his  crus.ides.  and  celi- 
liacy  was  finally  iniposed  on  the  eleru'v  :  the  iireat  mendicant  orders  and 
the  saerameiit  of  i:xtreme  rnetiou  were  also  evolved  liy  way  of  competing 
with  ttio  teachiiiKs  and  prailires  of  the  seit. 

•  "The  Dawn  of  the  Heformation"  :    \ol.  1.  p.  12. 


:|l 


1 
•I 


1(10 


TIIUKi:    UKI.Kilol  S    I.KADKUS   (»K    (».\K(i|{|> 


i   ' 
it 


\' 


I 


can  at  tluir  Ih-ikI,  ^cih  rally  wmi  nn  cjisy  victory,  (ut- 
w>ii\  pita  fur  a  i-on^titutional  Caparv  ilrri\iii>;  lU  aiitliurity 
from  .un.iliar  r.  prrM-iitatiiiii,  or  tlic  plan  a.lvocatc.l  l,y 
(JrosM't.Mr,  \\li.ia.k.'.ltliat  iintli.M|,i,frai>in>;  nv.niic  ^lioiild 
Iw  r.f(.riiir.i  ami  a  ^tricf.T  (liM-ipliiir  nifonr.l,  rr.rivi'd 
.s<-ar(rly  Knn  rrhiikc  from  l{i)in*>  tliaii  the  nvdliitiimary  pni- 

JM.sals    iiia.lr    l.y    MarMulio    ari.l    \V\.|iir,..      Tl ,t„ar.| 

unity  of  Chri.t.ti."  .  was  finally  >liatl.rr.|  an<l  tli.-  re- 
proach in<  iirrc.l  l,y  t,,c  Holy  Sec  for  it-  part  in  the  cahiinitv 
\va^  tlu'  more  tle-crvcil,  l.ecan>c  this  was  hastened  li\  the 
resistan<v  of  ihe  i'ope^  to  hninan  pro^ro^  ami  l)y  their 
atnl)ition  for  feinjx.ral  so\,.rciKnl\ .  The  very  nii.i,,,,  (r,'tn- 
of  the  I'apacy  eonsi>te.|  in  .js  heintf  the  .livinely  appointed 
trustee  of  the  le^'acy  of  faith  and  morals  Let  pica  the.  I  tu 
mankind  hy  Christ.  The  fidelity  and  ener^.x  with  whicli 
tlii>  treasure  should  have  Ih'cii  guarded  were  s(pian<lered  on 
earthly  atlairs.  and  striiKKlcs  for  political  as.rndeticy. 

Further,  in  demolishing  the  Holy  |{omaii  Km  pi  re  the  I'a- 
pacy  irretrievably  damapd  it>  own  edifice.     Conjoined,  the 
two  powers  were  supreme  liecause  they  were  compJeUK  ntary  ; 
M'parated,  each   was   deprived   of    the  federation   of   secular 
and   eccle>ia-ti'-;l    ■     Miority  <\hi,.|,  l,;,,)  I,,,,.,,  .,   „„„|,.,|  ^^^^^ 
port   in   their  sul.jection  of   Kuroin-an   trihes  and   kindreds. 
Their  centri|.etal    f..r(is   were   spent    in    what   was  really  a 
civil   war;    CrcKory    IX    and    IruKurnt    l\'   even    went    to 
the    Icn^tii    of    proclaimiMf;    tlieir    conflict    with    tlu     Km- 
peror    l-Veileric    II    a    crusa.l.-.    and,    on    that    as>umi)tion, 
demanded   fumls  from  the  Church  and   the  faithful.     The 
.struKK'le  ended  in  tlie  defeat  of  the  Km|)eror,  on.v  known  as 
the  "wonder  of  Kun.pe."  a  ruler  of  luVh  ideals  ami  pursuits. 
He   died    in    the   sunun.r  of    \2r,i),    Icavinj;   many    projects 
urifuifilled  ;    on  the  sul)>c(|uent  ruin  of  hi>  house,  the  Cajjc- 
tians  strcn^'tiicncd  their  dynasty  in  Knince  and  tlu'  Knjrlish 
monarchy  hecame  a  still  nion-  esM'iitial  part  of  that  nadon. 
Home  di>co\crcd.  too  late,  the  neincis  (.f  her  triumph  over 
the  Kmi)ire  in  the  wide>pread  conviction,  which  she  couhl 


M 


JOHN    WVCLIKKK 


107 


not  •^liakr,  tliat  tlir  l.iiil.liii;;  ii|i  of  .r|mrjitc  rmtiotuilitics 
was  tli<>  fiitiiR'  task  nf  stat.stii.il  ami  tli.'  >;<ml  i.f  liist.iry. 
Tints  a  .lia.ll\  lijiiw  \\a>  iiifli.t.'.l  ii|ii>ii  h.r  pn^fi^'.'  I>.>  tliox- 
ri-siilt^  ulii.'li  >lic  had  ii-ia^'incl  \\..iili|  imT.M.c  it. 

TliiTc  wa^  m.thinu  ii..\.  Mil  th.'  i'l.a  .if  ii,ili..iial  aiitiitiioiiy, 
tli.iiiuli  it  hail  I. .11^'  Imcii  i|..riii:iiit  wlini  tlif  .ii>  ..jiiti.iM  ..'  the 
ll.'l.v  li.itiiaii   Kiiipin-  an.l  tlif  pa-iii^  ..I'  the  iiicli.val  jiriii- 
ri|>lf  I.f  iiitiriiati..iialiMn    r.awak.iicl    it  aii.l  iiia.!.-  |M.»il.ir 
its   r(ali/ati..M.     'I"!).'    I'.ip<>    a^^rf..!    aiuw   th.ir    claiiii   to 
aiith..rit\,  ..iily  t..  fin.i  that  tli.'  moral  Kroiimls  on  which  tin* 
Papacy   ..ri>;iiially    rc^t.-.l    its  .mm'    w.tc   no   i..rij;iT   tcjiabh- 
iiri.l    that    th.'    I..\\,t    iii.tli...N    ..f   .lipi..niacy    aii.l   of    war 
were   th.ir  <.iily   r.M.iir. ...      I!iil.r>   an.l    pc.pl.s   were    not 
.li->|)<.>c.|    to    r.a.lriiit     spiritual     pr.roK'ativ.s     ..r     Ixnv     to 
clcri.'al  c..iitrol  with.Mit  the  i\,,^r^t   s.-nitiiiy,  an.l,  at  titiics, 
open   .i  •liiiric.-.     That    a>tut.     an.l    nnMrMp'il.)ns    p..litician. 
IJonii'a.f  \III,  .•ii.lea\..re.|  t..  r.  in..\f  thi>  anta>r..niMn.  hnt  he 
<'oii|.|  n..t  .lepcn.i,  a^  .11.1  hi,  pre.lcce^M.rs.  np.in   tli.'    Kiir.t- 
pean  prin.cs  a-<  hi>  f.  ii.lat..ri.'>  ami  the  in^trinrient^  of  his 
will.     Where    c.inipnNi.in  was  nnaxaiiinj;,    n.i:.itiati.>n    was 
tlie  last  resort  ;    l).\   it,  einp|..yiiient  ..f  artili.r  an.l  -tratcKy 
the  I'apaey  l.iwere.l  it>.|f   to  th.-  I.vel  ..f  Mirn.un.linK  K'ov- 
ern;nents.  a.i.l  in.-iirre.l  repri>al>  that  were  a   .•..ntrailicti..n 
of  its  theories  of  over|,,r,i,hip.     T..  mak.-  confnM.ui   w.irse 
confonnile.l  M..niface  pliniKc.l  int..  a  (piarrel  with  I'hilij)  the 
Fair  of  Franc.'  whi.li  emle.l  in  the  .l.tVat  ami  capture  .if  the 
I'ontiir,  wli.>  was  >ent  to  li.nn.    a>  a  ho>ta«e,  where  he  was 
iinpri>..ne<l  1>\  the  Or-ini  in  th.-  Witiean,  initil,  .>n  ()ct..l).T  the 
eli'veiith,   i;;o:;,  .j.ath  niercifiill\-  reieaM'.l  hitn  fr.im  further 
humiliation.     SucU  a  tra;,'e.ly  ha. I  n.it  heen  kn.iwn  sintv  the 
fall  ..f  l{..nie;   tiie -jiiritiial   -..v.ivii;nty  .if  ( "liri>ten.l.ini  lia.l 
lu'come  a  nier.'  a.ljnii.'t  in  the  a.lniini^tration  of  .me  :imoii^'  u 
^roup  of  .lev.l.ipiiiir  ,tat.'>.     The  -.ii.ve>s,,r  .if  Boniface  like- 
wise pcrish.'.l   with  ni\^t.ri..u-  ^ud.l.nnc^s,  an.l  the  ch.iicf 
of  the   next    I'apal   .Mn-lidate   wa-  .li.tate.l   l.y    Philip,   wh.. 
forced  the  new  Pope  t.>  giv  pl^i^'es  -hat  h.'  w.nil.l  revise  the 


II 


ll 


i?1 


108      TIIHKK    KKLKilOIS    LKADKKS   OK   oXFolU) 

Xiiticaii'.s  iKilicy  ill  liariiu.ny  with  the  k\u^\  wishes.  This 
iiifaiiious  lHtra\(T  (if  his  I'oiitificatf,  Clcmfiit  V,  was  l«)rn  a 
subject  of  Kdward  I  in  or  alioiit  the  year  12(14.  Uv  hfcaiiu' 
Archhisliop  of  Honlcaiix,  and  was  crowiicil  rope  at  Lyons 
on  XovcnilxT  1 1,  \'A{)'). 

After  his  elevation  to  tlic  throne  of  I'eter,  Clement  pereiiii)- 
torily  refused  to  reside  in  Home,  nor  did  he  \i>it  the  capital 
of  Christeniloin  diiriiif:  !ii>  M.vereij;nty.  In  |;!(I!»,  eonsist- 
eiitly  with  the  deliherate  exploitation  of  the  Holy  See  hy  the 
French  CoiirT,  he  transferred  ii>  seat  to  Avif;non.  The  act 
was  wor>e  than  a  i>hinder,  it  was  a  crime.  The  l*ope  and 
Home  were  iii>eparal)ly  one,  .i  neccssiry  unity  for  the  relipoiis 
symholism  which  wa>  cosmopolitan,  not  national,  and  still  less 
sectional ;  iiitelli>;il.le  to  all,  understood  In  all.  Their  un- 
natural reparation  startled  and  rei»elled  Catholics  of  every 
l.md:  it  chilled  the  heart  and  niimlied  the  intellij;ence  of 
those  who  ardently  clieri>lied  di\  ine  thiiij;s. 

Avignon  is  sepjirated  from  the  rest  of  the  world  by  the 
Icfreiids  and  histories  that  haunt  its  emhatth'd  walls  and 
thirty-nine  towers.  Iiinocent  l\  huilt  these  fortifications, 
whose  strength  -tayed  for  a  time  the  prowess  of  Hertrand 
(111  (luesclin,  the  foremost  warrior  of  fourteenth  century 
FraiKv.  In  Avipion,  I'etrarch  is  said  to  have  h)okeil 
on  Laura  for  the  first  time,  and  the  city  still  claims  her 
tomh.  Ahinj;  its  street-  ro.'e  the  heautiful  (^iieen  Jeanne 
of  Napl*'  ,  attended  In  her  courtiers,  when  she  came  to 
finsw  -  ;,.r  'he  miirdvT  of  her  hiishand,  and  to  sell  the 
phur  to  (i-ment  VI  for  eighty  thousand  aaUl  florins. 
Hieii/i  also  found  his  way  here,  shadowed  l>y  his  api)roachinj; 
fate.  The  Palace  of  the  l'o;)es,  a  sanctuary  and  a  fortress, 
is  enthroned  on  the  Hocho  (h-s  Domes,  three  hundred  feet 
Jihov.  the  Hhone,  and  in  its  hall  of  audience  the  politics  of 
Kuroi)e  centered  for  .i  .-entury  an.!  a  luilf.  The  Court  of 
Avijmon  during:  this  period  was  a  plaKUo-spot  of  wholesale 
hril.ery,  Miiiony,  and  (h-l.auchery.  I'etrarch,  whose  laiijcuape 
.should  !>«■  received  with  -omereMT\  ation,descril)e(I  thef,d()oniy 


#MP 


.lOMN    UVCIJFFH 


ion 


[•ommdii 


stronghold   as  "tin-  city    of   tlic   ("iiptivitv.   the  n „ 

sink  of  iill  vi.rs,  fnls,-  jiuilt-I;,,!,.,,  IJal.yl.m,  the  forav  of'lie's"' 
till'  hornlilc  priM.n,  the  Ih'II  upon  cartii.-  IVv(.n,|  (,ues- 
tion  Its  villaini.-s  ^a(l(l(.m•(l  the  souls  of  lulirvcrs  and  stim- 
ul:f.d  thr  antagonism  in  whidi  Wy.-iiHV  fi>;urcd.  The 
n:<  -.de  of  the  Churcli  was  impaired  i)v  the  si-ht  of  the 
I'ontifraetiuK  as  the  ally  of  Kranee,  and  sul.jeete.fhv  Kreneh 
sTatesmen  to  their  sehemes  f„r  dominating  the  contin.-nt. 
Ihe  trihunal  which  had  l.cen  th.-  court  of  arl.itrati..n  for 
\Nestern  Christianity,  and  whose  judfrmcnts,  as  the  one  un- 
trammeled  and  absolute  authority  ahove  the  control  or 
nifliienee  <.f  secular  states,  had  I.een  .lispen>ed  with  so  even 
a  hand  as  to  command  -cneral  approval,  now  heeame  a 
hissiiifi;   and   a    hyword. 

In   Kngland  .lissatisfacti..n  slowly  passe.l  into  open  hos- 
ti lit.v       riic  reasons  smtv  evident :   not  only  was  ans  measure 


whicii  ran  counter  to  1-Vcnc 


1  interests  promptly  supim-ssed, 


l)ut  these  interests  were  ai.led  an.l  ahett.-d  hv  I'apal  .leerees 
(  iement  \  and  his  i.rothcr  supplied  the  rrencli  amiv  with 
several  millions  ,,f  p„unds  st.Tlin^  durinjr  the  wars  „f 
iTance  with  the  island  kinph.m,  which  it>elf  ha<l  i)reviouslv 
eontnl.uted  t<.  the  I'apal  excl,e,,ucr  a  lar^^e  part  <,f  th'e 
Rrant.  1  he  treacherous  d.ed  fil|,.,l  Kn-land's  cup  of  l.itter- 
ness  to  <.verfl,.winK:  it  was  typl.^al  of  the  conscienceless 
extortions  wrung  under  every  c„nceival.l,>  pretext  fn.m 
all  regions  within  the  Papal  j.irisdictioM.  The  en.l  of  such 
a  course  could  I.e  nothing  short  of  the  degradation  of  the 
lapacy.  the  ruin  of  its  standing  and  authoiitv.  And 
so  the  event   prove.l.      "The  Church    is   pale."  "lamented 

ath.rine  ot  Menna.  "through  loss  of  j.l.K.d  drained  from  her 
hy  insatiahle  devourers." 

The  suicidal  proceeding  entered  its  last  phase  in  the 
Schism,  when  two  rival  Popes  reviled  and  exconimunicated 
oaeh  (;ther  with  every  iusult  and  ealumnv  unheeding 
anger  could  evoke.  Th.'y  wen-  <'ompared  hv  WvcliHV  to 
hungry  d„gs  snarling  over  one   bone.      After   more   thai, 


I  <l 


M 


110      TIIHKK    KKI.KIIOI  S    IJvVDKKS   OK    OXFOIU) 


i    i 


sfvoiity  years  df  the  Avi^'iidii  I'aiKicy,  (Irt-trory  Xi  rt'tiinied 
t(t  lioiiif  ill  the  winter  of  i;!7(l  l:;77,  nliirtaiitly  takinjr  this 
.stej)  after  reiMMted  >()licitatiuii>  from  St.  Catlieriiie,  whose 
reiiiarkal>le  letters  to  the  I'oiititf  .  >  various  oecasi(.iis  were 
replete  with  hterar\  eliariii  and  spiritual  fervor.  He  found 
the  city  a  (le>nlation  and  the  Lateran  I'alace  uninhal)ital)le ; 
an  oniiiK.us  einhleni  of  the  irre|iaral)le  hasoe  whicli  had  been 
wrou^'lit  U|)nn  the  Holy  .S'e  itself. 

This  brief  summary  of  the  causes  and  coiisetiuences  of  the 
e()llai)se  of  Romanism,  a-  eonceixed  hy  Ilildel)rand  and  real- 
ized in  part  hy  Innocent  111,  leave:,  one  occiii)ied  with  con- 
jectures upon  what  mii^ht  have  l)een  the  future  of  Christen- 
dom if  the  warnin;;s  of  Dante,  the  foremost  relifiious  <;enius  of 
the  last  millennium,  had  i)een  ell'ectuai.  Hi-,  "Diviiia  ("oin- 
media"  is  the  ^;randest  mi'dii'val  memorial  of  a  coiniiletely 
enfranchised  soul,  and  the  chief  token  of  its  power.  Indi- 
vidual as  his  work  is,  it  sets  forth  a  universal  ■^y-^tem,  in  which 
he  passes  heyond  the  farthest  l)oundarie>  of  man's  mind. 
The  Krcat  jxiet  sorrowed  over  the  destruction  of  the  Kmpire 
and  the  lost  unity  of  the  ( 'hurch  which  had  been  the  nexus  of 
the  nations.  He  foresaw  that  without  --ome  auspicious  inter- 
vention further  calamities  woiiM  cnsiM-.  The  conclusions  of 
saints  of  happier  times,  >uch  as  .St.  Mernard,  .St.  \ictor,  and 
St.  Thomas,  haunted  his  rcmeinlirance.  He  heard  the  fail- 
ings of  the  Church  on  earth  recounted  in  the  courts  above; 
the  splendors  of  Paradise  grew  dim  \  hile  St.  Peter  dcnouiuvd 
the  sins  of  tho>e  who  had  disgraced  the  Holy  .See.  Hut 
notwithstanding  Dante's  cyclonic  bursts  of  wrath  against 
her  ini(piities.  Home  remained  for  him  the  center  of  the 
world  and  the  hope  of  the  race.  The  idea  of  a  supreme 
divine  dcveh.pment  in  which  human  institutions,  howi'ver 
holy,  were  but  the  foam  on  the  wave,  did  not  relieve  his 
distress.  He  knew  only  the  things  of  the  i)ast  ;  salvation  • 
from  tin-  disasters  he  mourned  lay,  not  in  the  womb  of  the 
future,  but  in  the  restoration  of  a  departed  authority  whose 
grandeur   comported    with    the   notions  of    his   own    mind. 


JOHN    WVCLIKI'K 


II 


HdicvniK  this  \h-  t„r,M.,|  u,  the  rr,u„Mit,it...I  Chnrcl.  ari.l 
hmpiri-  ;,s  tlu-  n„|y  >n„r.r  ,i,mI  a.Hh..r,-,;;r  nf  hmn.nitv. 

llii-  fsiilt,  |„.  ,,r,.s.jiv.l  ruuH-  i„  full  „u,,s„n.,  prcs,,.,! 
<<nv.|  ami  m.Hiin^r  ,.vvr.  Tl,.-  l';,,,...,,  uIm,.|.  I,,.!  ....uv,! 
Al-ailanl.  silni.r,!  tlir  .pc-iilatiuns  „f  Arn..|,|  ,.f  Urcscia  and 
at  ov.-ry  l.azani  luil  fa.i  t..  tl,,-  ..rtlio.jox  faith,  itself  tVII  ■! 
vu-t.m  to  tlu-  lu.r...i,..  of  th.  Kniai^suwr.  H,n,.r,M„«  fn„„ 
the  iTc.cli  «  aj)tivit,v  .TippK..!  an.l  shorn,  it  Uvnum-  .K-raded 
pen    in    its   own    eyes,    :nu\    the    nfined    sensualiMn   of   tlie 

T'\  ,!■""!:„":''  ""'•'  '""■«•■''  ■''''''>■  '•>  the  .iefeetion  of 
the  halt  ol  (  hristen.loni.  The  wounds  then  infiiete.l  have 
not  l.een  heale.l.  the  unity  and  the  univ.Tsality  lost  un.ler 
Hon, taee  \  II  an.l  (-1..^.^  V  have  not  been  reeoverul.  nor 
lias  the  Holy  .See  sui.r  resurne.l  it,  .,ver!.,r.lship  of  the  Kuro- 
|H-an  nations.  Xeverthel..,,  thou.d,  ..rely  pn.s.e.l  o„  tnanv 
-si.los,  an.  sadly  nnitilaf.l,  i,  r,.;:aine.l  tlu'  o|,|  severe  and 
HK-.l  ,n..th...l,  an.l  e,  ;„inn...|  f  .erve  as  a  «reat  reservoir 
ol  mfluenees  an.l  pou.Ts  whi,  h  hax.-  stea<!ily  eontril.ute.l  to 
tlie  orpinizati.m  ..f  ni...lern  s.x 

The  splen.li.l  .Irean.  of  Ilil.lel,   .n.l,  like  tliat  of  ."-^t    Franeis 
was   t,,re.loo,ne.l    for    laek  of  elasti.-ity.     When    realize.l.    it 
wasd..teate.l  by  the  expan.lin.r  jif,.  „f  Christian  States  uhi.-h 
u-  (  Imrel,  knew    betfr    h.       to   i.x'olve   than   t.,  c.ntrol. 
c-neath    the    ni..ral    turpi,  .le,    the    exo.lus    to    .Avignon. 
the  treaehenes,  ^rievaiurs,  eomplaints,  an.l   wars,  lav  the 
laj^.eys  tun.la.nental  ern.r:    its  slowness  t..  pereeiv^  that 
*H..lal.sn.  ,11  the  fourteenth  .rntury  ha.l  begun  to  ,lie  and 
was  11.,  longer  po.ssible  as  an  organic  svsteni.     The  higher 
.•.v.hzati.m  whi,-h  supplant,..l  it  .•..ul.l  n..t  be  pennaiientlv  re- 
stra.ne.l  by  tlu-  lowr.     Whil..  the  northern  pe..ples  iiu-reasnl 
111    vitality   an.l   ethi.-al    sup,.ri.,rity.    the    II..Iv    .See   l.,st    it^ 
breadth  ..t  sympatiiy  an.l  was  un<-onsei.,uslv  narn.we.l   bv 
Latin  traits  an.l  t.n.l,-n.-i.->.     It  vainly  truste.i  in  the  glamour 
ol  ..iitwanl  rank  an.l  .inunistane.- ;   in  the  nnviel.ling  n...ni- 
tioiis  ..»  a  hierar.hy,  an.l  in  tl,.-  stilt..l  f.,rin.ihe  with  whieh  it 
i-xpresse.l  the  :naj..r  truths  .,f  life  an.l  faith.     Tlie,e  ha.l  little 


m 


llii 


iu 


ll  4 

i 


i 

§ 


;3^'%13gp^ 


112     THKKK    HKLK  .    LKADKItS   OK   OXKOKD 

nicaiiiiif;  for  tin-  more  powerful  comnninitH's  wliicli  tvi-iitually 
Kiiiiiod  ^iiim'macy  in  CtTiuany,  Holland,  Scandinavia.  (Ircat 
Hritaiii  and  lur  colonics  of  tin-  New  World.  lUnm's  tra- 
ditional arguments,  wliiih  lur  wist^t  children  would  have 
modified,  were  not  sufficiently  strong,'  to  support  a  position 
rendered  patently  anomalous  l)y  the  growth  of  knowledge 
and  freedom.  The  outcome  was  far  too  complex  and  exten- 
sive for  its  \arioi:s  asiK-ets  to  he  eharaeterized  in  a  phrase. 
The  mischievous  result  for  the  Holy  See  was  the  loss  of  its 
Kenuine  catholicity.  On  the  Kuropean  continent  the  anarchy 
and  war  which  followed  offset  the  otherwise  notable  advan- 
tages of  release  from  Roman  supremacy. 


IV 

While  Sudbury,  Courtenay,  and  their  fellow  bishops  were 
anxiously  ponderitig  how  to  obe\  the  I'ope  without  offending 
the  p:nglish  people,  Wycliffe  escaped  scot  free.  His  first 
apiH-arance  in  public  affairs  after  the  procredings  connected 
with  the  Paj)al  bulls  of  eondenmation  was  in  the  autumn 
Parliament  of  1.37.S.  John  of  daunt  had  violated  the  sanc- 
tuary at  Westminster  by  sending  a  band  of  armed  men  to 
seize  two  knights  who  had  taken  refuge  there,  one  of  whom 
was  slain  in  the  melee  which  ensued.  Wydiffe  was  re(iuested 
to  write  a  defense  of  the  Duke's  high-handed  action  ;  he  re- 
siwnded  with  a  state  paper  which  is  still  jjreserved  and 
incorporated  in  his  treatise  "l)e  Kirlesia."  As  an  argu- 
ment against  the  abuse  of  such  privileges  the  document 
is  creditable  enough,  but  =  was  not  applicable  to  the  case  in 
question.  The  result  was  i!:;it  it  gave  color  to  the  accusation 
that  Wydiffe  was  a  hireling  of  the  Lancastrian  party,  and 
neither  helix-d  Gaunt  nor  increased  its  author's  reputation. 
VVycliffe  occupied  a  far  stronger  position  when  he  resumed 
with  unabatecl  vigor  his  pliilip|)ic  against  theCa'sarean  clergy. 
His  ecclesiastical  i)rotestantism  \oiced  a  common  feeling  of 
discontent.     Its  i>olitieal  elements  contained  the  germinal 


JOHN   VVYCLIFFE 


113 


conceptions  of  nKxIcrn  as  siilistitiitcd  for  nuHlicval  ideas  of 
man  and  society,  and  in  Kivintr  tlieni  utterance  Wyditte 
ion.'imied  liis  i)ositi()n  as  a  leader  of  the  nation.  The 
luxurious  H'sidences  and  ai)|)oiiitnieMts  of  the  wealthier  prel- 
ates savored  of  tlie  devil ;  their  Hourishin;;  estates  were  a 
scandal  to  the  servi<r  „f  Hiin  who  had  said,  "My  kinj(dom  is 
not  of  tiiis  uorld";  the  exactions  and  sinecures  of  the  hier- 
archies and  the  orders  were  derogatory  to  the  honor  of  C.od. 
Here  lie  halted  before  assailiuf;  the  Papacy,  restrained  hy  the 
reflection  that  it  was  the  aniniatin-,'  principle  of  the  Church 
and  th<"  focus  .,f  her  external  forms.  Wt  the  rift  between 
him  and  the  Holy  See  was  made  in  the  first  instance  by 
logical  deductions  from  his  own  theories  on  lordship  and  its 
counterpart  in  serviee,  which  bore  heavily  upon  the  Papal 
claims.  Then  came  the  Schism,  which  demanded  force 
instead  of  loj^ie,  and  certainly  couhl  not  !)<•  met  by  Wyclitt'e's 
fixed  faith  in  the  virtues  of  ar^'umentative  [HTsuasion. 

In  this  chau^'c  of  sentiment  toward  the  Pontifl's  the 
antithesis  of  (^hurch  and  State  was  implicated,  and  to  such 
opposition  as  his  the  K^'Ufsis  of  the  Reformation  must  be 
ascribed.  Yet  he  earnestly  desired  the  preservation  of  the 
Holy  See,  believin.i;  that  its  dignity  and  prestij,'e  were  as 
essential  to  the  stability  of  Christendom  as  its  entangle- 
ment with  matters  temi)oral  was  sub\-ersi\e  of  that  end. 
lie  contended  that  the  spheres  of  temporal  and  spiritual 
sovereignty  were  necessarily  separate  and  distinct,  that  the 
rinircii  should  neither  influence  politicalK-  nor  be  influenced 
by  the  secular  jx)wer. 

Im{H>lled  b.\  these  and  similar  arguments  he  slowlv  drifter! 
from  his  loyalty  to  the  Papacy.  Prior  to  i;}78'  he  had 
acknowledfied  its  governance,  although  denying;  its  uncon- 
•  htional  plenary  p(.wer.  As  late  as  that  same  vear  he  hailed 
the  election  of  Crbau  \I  with  a  burst  of  "  approbation : 
"  Praised  be  the  LonI  who  has  ^'iveii  to  our  Church  in  the  days 
of  her  i)ilKrima-e  a  (^.tholic  head,  an  evangelical  man,  who, 
m  reforminj;  the  Church  that  it  imiy  live  in  accordance  witli 
I 


1 

111 


is 


M  'i 


.ili 


ri 


i 


Hi      TIIHKK    IJNLKIlois    LKADKHS   OK   OXFOKl) 

tlir  law>  of  CliriM.  I)ruiii>  in  .liic  (.rdcr  witli  liiiiisclf  aiul  his 
(AVii  li(.ii>rli(iM,  M,  Iroin  l:i-<  works  we  iMli.vf  tlnit  he  is  our 
own  ChriMiiin  li.inl."     Kvcn  jifttT  tlu-  S(lii,ni,  Trlmn  wjis 
still,  in  Wy.lillVs  words,   "onr   I'op,.."     lUa  tlic  <li'atli  of 
(Ircirory  XI  at  Uonic  clianfrcd  all  this.     His  successor  had  to 
l>c  elected  tlure,  and  the  violence  of  the  i)oi)iilace  so  alarmed 
the  Conclav.'  that  to  a|)peaM>  it  tliey  cIiom-  Irhan.  an  Italian 
l>y  hirth.      I'ive  ni(»nths  later  he  outwitted  tin   Kreneh  repre- 
sentation in  the  Colleire  and  entrenched  liitnscif  in  power  hy 
uominatini;  twenty-,|<;ht  new  CanlinaK.  a  majority  sufficient 
to  end  the  (iallican  control  of  the  Curia.     At  this  turn  of 
events  the   mahonteiit-.  elected   their  anti-pope.    Uohert  of 
(leneva,  who  as-uincd  the  title  of  Clement  VII,  and  was  ulti- 
mately  depoM'd    hy   the   Council   of  ('(.n^tance.     Thus   the 
Curia  itself  d.'stroyed  the  unity  of  the  duirch  and  created 
that   incipient    revolt   wliicji  ended  in  the  upheaval  of  the 
sixteenth  century.     Tlie  condiic  of  Crbau  and  Clement  in 
their   violent  onthursts   a-aiuM    each   other  soon   quenched 
WycIitl'eV  i>raiM'  of  the  form<T  claimant.     Both  i)ecame  for 
lum  as  "<rows  rcMinu  on  carrion,"  and  he  advised  that  they 
should  !).•  di.cardi'd,  ^uui-  tiiey  had  "little  in  common  with 
the  Church  of  the  Holy  Cod."     The  des.ription  wa>  justified  ; 
I  rl.an,  a   man  of  incaucr  cultivation  and   harsh   manners,' 
Ix'haved  with  th<'  ferocity  of  a  sava,i;e,  and  Clement,  althou^di 
less  cnul  hy   riatur.',  wa>  con.picuou.ly  deficient  in  moral 
charact.T.     Selfi>h  oliiiarchics  had  met  their  Usual  fate,  an<l, 
while   Christi.in    people   looked    on,   helpless  and   depress,Hl, 
both   P()pe>  pursued  a  tumultuous  course  of  personal   ven- 
}ieance.  wherein  tortures.  imi)risoiunents.  assassinations,  and 
wars  occurred   which  the  Cardinal  themselves  endeavored 
to  arrest. 

Xeutralitv  wa.  inip(.sMl)le.  and  Wycliffe's  detestation 
extended  heyond  the  rival  di-^l)utants  to  the  system  which 
they  were  tceriti-r  to  jmc-cs.  He  pul.li.ly  denounced  the 
I'apa.'y  a-  aecur-ed  in  root  an.l  hranch.  einj)loyinfr  epithets 
which  echoed  the  fur\    that  raired  at   Koine   and    .\vij;non. 


.lOilX    WYCLIFrK 


11". 


"riirist,"  Slid  he,  "li:i^  iM':;iiii  li.  help  ii^  ^.Tacioiisly  in  that 
he  has  cldNcii  the  lica.l  i.l'  Antichri-t  and  made  tlit-Diif  part 
H^lit  aKaiM>t  tlir  utliir.  "     The  priina.v  of  St.   IVtcr  (oiild 
not   l)c   proved;    tlic  claims   ImmmI    ii|>on    it    were   inytliical; 
rai)ai  infallil)ilit\  and  tlu  ri<;lit  :••  canonize  or  cNconHiMinicatr 
were  wicked  delii>ion-.     Il<'  placed  n|)oii  tlieCnria  tlieoniisof 
Manic  for  the  oi)pre^-,ion,  innnorahty,  strife,  and  niis<;overn- 
inent    tliat  disi;raeed   the    I'apal    c<Mirt    and   adinini>tration, 
and  referred  to  the  i'ope  hiniMlf  a^  an  apuMate  to  venerate 
whom  was  l)hisphci,i(.iis  idolatry.      While  he  traced  the  source 
of  these  -rrievoiis  mi-doiii-s  t,,  t|„.  l-ontill'-,  h.'  asserted  tliat 
their  poison  had  -i)rca<l  tlirou^diont  the  eccle.iasticism  tliey 
IMTsoiiified.     The  "twelve  daujilit.r- of  the  diaholical  leech" 
were  fomid  in  the  hierarchical  ■,'radc,  of  the  cler^'y,  l)e^Mniiin!,' 
with  the  Cardinals,  and  ending  with  the  .loorkeepers  who  did 
their  hiddinj:.     Xoiie  had  scrijUnral  warranty,  and  least  of 
all  those  of  the  hiu'her  ranks,  who  should  he  ])lncked  out  of 
the  seats  they   defiled.     The  i)a>toral   olliees   were  safer   in 
the  keepini;  of  simple  and  irodly  clerks  than  in  that  of  learned 
iiiKrates,  and.  mdcss  such  \irtuon>  men  were   installed    and 
the  Chureh  jnir^r,.,]  ,,f  crafty  and  ambitions  worldlin-s  who 
had  so  lonj;  licen   her  woe,  >he  could  not   he  re-tored  to  her 
ancient    jmrity    and    service.     It    i>   difficult    to    determine 
how  nuich  of  this  ol)jnri;ation  ori;;inated  with  Wyclilfe,  as 
distin;;iiished   from   that   attrihuted  to  him.     Current    eon- 
troversi'I  literature  ahonnded  with  references  to  Antichrist, 
a  iii\sttiious,  awful  heluir  who  wa^  reirarded   as  the  sum  of 
diaholical   iiii(|iiity,   wIk.m'   name   was  employed    hy  all  and 
sundr,\    to  hei<:hten  their  \ililication  of  opponents.      Many 
of    the    pampldets    then    i-^Micd    have    he.'U    confused    with 
the  writitiiTs  of  Wyclitle,   and,   later,  of   IIus.     It  is  fairly 
certain  that  Wyclitl'c  did  not  ol.ject  to  the  Holy  See  so  lon<; 
as  it  was  invested  with  it-  <'-scntial  (lualifications.     .\'or  can 
his   adverse   attitude    he    aMrihcd    to   the    removal    of    the 
Papal  Court  to  A\ii;noii,  an  event  which  took  place  before 
he  wa.s  horn,      llis  ai)horrenee  arose   from  the  disirracc  of 


N: 


:|i 


'^1 

ll 


h 


IK)      THUKK    KKIJClors    LKADKitS   (»K   OXFORD 

rival  su(Mrss(.r>  <.f  St.  I'.-t.r  frantically  issiiiiiK  .■xr„i,mm..i- 
catioiis  and  raising  armies  against  cacli  ntlicr.  Tins  i)r(Mli- 
Kious  evil  infected  the  entire  (  Inin  ..  and,  m.  far  a>  WvelihV 
was  involved,  after  !:{7,S,  the  ineniorahle  year  in  his 
career,  he  had  no  dealing's  with  Rome,  except  as  an  oi)en 
adversary. 

His  .I.Ktrine  of  the  duirch,  when  freed  from  tlw  scholastic 
al.stractions  which  mystiHed  it.  may  he  divided  int..  thr.r 
parts:    the  Clnirch  triumphant,  the  Cininh  militant,  and 
the  Chunh  "asleep  in   I'nr-atory."     Th.-  sec.md  of  these, 
which  alone  concerns  us,  he  deH?ied  as  consisting  exclusively 
of  th(.se  who  were  i)re.lestine<l  to  salvation,     'i'his  assign"- 
ment  was  so  arbitrary  that  the  I'ope  "wots  not  whether  he 
he  of  the  Church  or  whether  he  he  a  lind>  of  the  Hend." 
The  numl)er  of  the  elect  was  .ntirely  an  allocation  of  the 
Divine  Will,  and  their  indissoluhle  sjMritual  union  did  not 
recpiire  the  countenance  of  hierarchies,  nor  t  hat  of  the  "  sects  " 
of  monks,  friars,  and  priests.     He  showed  h.r.',  as  elsewhere, 
the  deej)  distrust  of  human  arrangements  which  he  seems  tii 
have  inherited  from  Ockham,  carrying;  it  to  the  «xtent  of 
<(>mi)lete  disor>ranizatiou.     .\ot  only  miVht  Pope  and  Cardi- 
nals ho  .set  asi«le,  hut  he  further  asserted  that  he  could   im- 
agine a  state  of  society  in  which  the  (Miurch  should  consist 
solely  of  the  laity.     The  law  of  the  (Jospel,  as  her  sufficient 
and  ahsolute  rule,  reud.'red  her  indei)endeut  (.f  such  adventi- 
tious aids  as  masses,  iii<lul;;.-nces,  penances,  or  auv  other  in- 
ventions of  spurious  sacerdotalism.     He  found  it'imjx.ssihle 
to  defen.l  his  statements  by  Christian  traditi(.n  or  \>y  tlie 
catifsn  law,  ami  his  uuhistorical  i»rocedure  was  really  retro- 
f,'rade.     Hut,  thou>;h  he  did  not  see  the  direction  in  wliicii 
the  Church  should  he  fiuided,  he  did  see  that  the  hierarchical 
system  which  had  liitherto  commanded  his  assent  had  ended 
in   disgrace   and    failure.     And    he   expressed    the   national 
instinct  in  his  ai)pr.)ach  towards  that  evanp-licalism  which 
lias  since  larjrely  incorporat.-d  the  relifrious  life  of  Kufilish- 
men  and  Ameri<ans.     He  further  contended  that  the  rei;rn. 


.lOIIN    WYCLIKKK 


117 


inn  monarch  slunild  hv  tlu-  licad  of  Clirist's  coninionwcaltli. 
p(.pi>s  aiul  bishops  lu-in;;  Mil,j,.,tf(|  to  him.  This  frankly 
Krastian  cloftrint-  could  scarctly  havt-  withstocMl  thf  reason's 
a(hhur<l  a>;aiiist  it  from  the  fiicouiiH-r  of  L(Miis  tlio  Fair  of 
Frantv  with  H(.nifa<r  \IU  and  Chnuiit  V,  wli.Tcin  French 
treacliery  was  more  to  he  dreach-d  than  C.erman  trucuh-ncc. 
Wliat  ini>;lit  liavc  hccn  it^  coii>c(|Uencc>  (hiriri);  Fdward  the 
Third's  later  periiMl.  when  he  was  in  his  dota>;e  and  John  of 
(jainit  and  Alice  IVrrcrs  distributed  the  patronage  of  the 
Crown,  or  a^ain,  dnrinj;  the  troubled  years  of  Richard  II, 
may  be  surmised  from  the  robberies  and  confiscations  which 
were  afterwards  perpetrated  in  the  rci<;n  of  Henry  \Ul. 

The  way  is  now  clear  to  (liscii>>  WycliUVs  teachings  upon 
Tran>ubstiintiation.  in  which  he  advanced  from  his  opposi- 
tion aiiainst  the  I'apal  power  to  that  indictment  of  all  sacer- 
dotali>m  and  of  its  visible  evidence  in  the  Mass  which  exposed 
him  to   the  definite  accusation   of  heresy   and   c(mii)letely 
.separated  him  from  Catholicism.     In  the  summer  of  13S1  he 
first  publicly  i\vnui\  that  the  elements  of  the  altar  suffered 
any  material  change  l)y  virtue  of  the  words  of  con.secration, 
an  avowal  which  filled  his  closiu;;  years  with  aj^itation  and' 
eventually  co.st  him  the  support  of  the  monarchy,  the  Lan- 
castrian i)arty,  and  tlu-  I'nivcrsity.     Here  follows  a  survey  of 
the  chief  laiidniarks  in  the  history  of  the  do.uma  he  withstood 
at  such  risk.     The  term  Transubstantiation  orifrinally  occurs 
in  a  treatise  of  the  eleventh  century,  by  llildebert  de  Savar- 
din  of  Tours,  or  Le  Mans,  althoujrh  the  ideas  which  the  term 
ecmveys  were  familiar  at  a  much  earlier  date,  and  arose  out 
of  the  disputation  concerninj;  the  Kucharist  that  extended 
from  the   ninth   to  the  eleventh  century.      Duriu),'  this  era 
the()lof;ians  en<leavorcd   to  i)lace   the  holy   mystery   of  the 
Christian  faith  upon  a  philosophical  basis.     In  S44  the  learned 
monk  Radbertus  I'aschasius  ])ul)lishe(l  a  monoi^raph  on  the 
"Sacrament  of  the  Body  and  Hlood  of  Christ,"  which  defined 
the  doj,'ma  more  clearly  and  was  instrumental  in  its  develop- 
ment.    As   Railbertus   inter])reted   it,   the   bread   and   wine 


i« 


;f: 


i  I 


J 


IIS      TIIKKK    ICKI.KiKils    LKADKUs    OK    OXFOKO 

Ixraillr  illti  rn;ill\    <  li;il|o;nl   into  thr  V(Tif;il)|c  (Ir.h  1111(1  lihxx) 
of    the     I,(.r.|\    lirtll;,!    1{,„|\.         \:;;,iM,t     tlli,    tllf     \U  li.'tin,- 

uuitik  Ifjitraiiimi-  (niil.ii(ltd  that  tlic  cniiMMratcil  watVr  uas 
simply  a  iiHrimrial  or  mvMrn  i.l'  tin  >|>iritiial  Ii.mIv  cxi-tirif; 
nn.l.r  the  vail  of  tl,r  mat. rial.  I.iit  he  failc.l  t..  Mnirr  any 
!.'<'ii(Tal  aiincmnit  with  hi.  ( ..iiciptinii.  Matfriali^tii'  j.lcas 
.4'  till-  Kiicliari.t  ('..mid  >u.li  t'a\..r  that  wIkii  |{.Ti'iii.Mriii>  of 
Tours  who  li\,,|  from  '.Mis  to  IIKS,  .Icla.-cl  ai;aiiist  them. 
asMTtin;:  that  the  W.al  IV.'m'm.c  wa>  only  ^piritnally  .on- 
ccivci  ami  rr(ci\c.l.  thf  i.at.ran  ('oim.il  of  l(),-,!»  forrcl  him, 
uiiiItT  thr.'at  of  .l.ath,  t..  rc.arit  the  lirri-.y.  One  of  it.  iii<li- 
r.'ct  <'onM'(|ii.n(rs  \va>  tiir  rcmarkal.lc  .tatctiiciit  ..f  (Hiitiimiid 
of  Avcrsi,  that  thccntir.'  I'.tm.h  of  th,-  Divim-  I{.-il....in..r  «•,.< 


JOHN    WVCMI'FK 


11<) 


ill  the  Holy  Fiicliiiri-t,  iiii.Irr  tlir  iipiMiinmccs  ,,f  l.na.l  niul 
wine.  M)  that  Flis  real  H.mI.v  ami  |{|o<kI,  His  Soul,  ami  His 
Divinity  art'  pre:  nt,  Tlir  li\  in-  Cliri.t,  i,  <.n  tin-  altar,  or  in 
the  conMrrat..!  waf.T.  The  .  haiip'  that  takes  jilaee  at  the 
riioMient  ami  l.y  the  act  of  eonMcration  is  TraiisulM.  ntia- 
tion  ;  a  elian^r  wherel.y  the  Milr.tance  of  the  l.read  an<l  wine 
pussesoN  er  into  the  >Mli>tane.' of  Christ,  who,  iniilerthat  form 
of  l»rea«l  ami  wine,  heconii-,  ami  remain^  present  so  |(»nj;  as  the 
accidents  remain  imeorru|)te<l.' 

This  (loetriiif  had  heen  jrradually  accejaeil  iti  the  Western 
Chureh.  tacitly  held  for  more  than  five  centuries,  and  for- 
mally and  authoriti'tively    enunciated    for   three.      Fortified 

l)y  the  learning;  of  the  Scl hnen.  it  (.Tiidually  hecame  the 

citadel  of  priestly  power,  which  worked  a  daily  miracle 
hefore  the  adorinj;  faith,  of  Cod's  hcliivinj;  children,  in  the 
Sacrifice  of  the  Alt.ir  they  found  the  otl'crinj;  of  Supreme 
Love,  and  in  the  solemn  worship  that  -urroimded  it  the  peace, 
rest,  and  meditation  l>elon;;ini.' toetiTual  realities  thu>  divined' 
iind  appropriated.  IVom  hi>  youth  WycliUe  himself  h„| 
|)cen  taught  to  revere  the  sacred  Ordinance,  and,  resolute 
innovator  tliouKh  he  was.  it>  hold  upon  him  caused  him  to 
f)lace  it  ahove  the  remainintj  .Sicraments  as  the  highest  and 

most  honorahle  of  all.     He  was  convinced   that   i ther 

had  so  sure  a  guarantee  in  1  loly  Scripture.  It  was  not  indei-d 
the  Sacrament  itself,  hut  ratiier  the  doctrine  of  the  change 
of  suhstance.  th.it  arousc'd  his  misgivings.  Iii>  contrihutioii 
to  I'rotestMUt  thcoh.gy  under  this  head  diil  not  go  heyond  the 
destruction  of  that  theory  ;  it  was  left  to  Hus  to  deal  with 
the  denial  of  the  cup  to  the  laity,  and  to  Luther  to  contend 
against  the  sacrificial  feature  of  the  ^Liss.  For  a  long  time 
WyclitlV  accepted  the  iuter|)reiation  of  the  chiinging  suh- 
stance, and  there  arc  no  liint^  in  his  earlier  writings  of 
any  doulit   concerning  it.     On   the  contrary,   he  expressly 

'  .S'l"  C.itholii-  Ijic.vrlcpa-.li.i :  Arlirl,.  ,,ii  TrMii-iiilistiintiiition  :  p.  r.Tu 
Also  ■•  HuTiiriiia  ■  l,y  Ur.  Hock,  CliMplvr  I.  -iMtioiis  .i  ami  1.  and  Cliaptcr 
II.  .section  1. 


Ja 


r 


ILM)     TIIKKK    UKI.KilOlS    LKADKUS   Ol-'   OXKOUD 


HI 


-tatcil  ill  ihr  "I).'  Ditiiiiiiiti  Civili"  tluit  txir  Lnnl.  Iicrc 
(IfMriltcl  ii^  ihf  .i.riiiil  I'r..|>li.t,  l'rit>f,  jiihI  Kinj:.  •'was  u 
!'ri.-.t  wImm  ill  tlic  Siipprr  llr  nnuic  Hi,  nun  M.nIv."  TIu' 
clciir  inft  rtiin.,  of  tlij,  jdirax'  wire  twofuM  :  fir-,t,  that  the 
wur.ls  ..f  Cliri-t  itrcclr.l  tlic  niirailc ;  and  a>;ain,  that  tho 
(.fliciatiiiK  pri.-t,  who  ^Io.kI  in  the  aiH^tulital  siicctsMon, 
l>roiit.'ht  it  to  pa>,  l.\  virtue  of  thr  wor.l,  of  .•oiisciratioii 
which  \u-  rcptatcl,  ami  not  In  hi,  own  authority.  The  IM-Iiof 
that  thr  Ho<l.\  of  Christ  wa,  pr«M-iit  iiikNt  the  acci.lcnt,  of 
lina.l  aii<l  win.-  was  then  practically  tiiiivcrsil.  and  this  is 
prccis.|\  the  incaniiiK'  of  the  do^'ina  as  it  is  now  held. 

Meiieath  all  his  deviations  Wyclitr,-  was  very  miieli  of  the 
Schoohnan,  and  to  the  last  lii<  tlieo|o>;i(al  j)ositions  were 
eonditioncil  l.y  his  propensity  tor  metaphysical  e\|)res,i(,iis. 
Hence  his  denial  of  'rraiisiihstantiation  was  directly  related 
to  the  theory  that  annihilation  was  a  (i<tion,  for  "it  was  not 
in  the  iH.wcr,  hecansc  not  in  the  nature  of  (mmI  to  annihilate 
iinythiiiK."  This  adherence  to  philosophical  tin  "ri.s  in 
the(.|o«ical  discussion,  tot'ctlicr  with  hi,  contenipt  for  sacer- 
•  lotaliMii  and  his  painful  e\|M-rience,  with  the  sn|«rior  eler>:y 
and  the  inendicaiit.s,  helps  to  explain  his  reject  >n  of  the 
orthodox  view  of  the  Sacrament.  .\t  the  s,.hh  uuw  lie  was 
ea^'er  to  validate  and  safc>;ii,inl  the  Ordii  ^iice  in  every 
p<.ssil,|,.  way,  hut  his  study  of  tlie  .S, ,  ,tui.  -  and  of  the 
earlier  worship  of  the  riiurch  couviiiccd  liim  that  the  wei^dit 
of  evidence  was  apiiiist  its  more  recent  d  \ -lopm,  iits. 

Accordinj:  to  Wyclitre,  these  wer.'  unknown  to  tl  c  doc-tors 
of  the  early  riiiirch  ;  medicM.l  sophi-ry  had  siij.planted 
Hihlical  and  patristic  teachii  -s,  an.  this  iisiiriMition  had 
taken  place  three  hundred  ;  ,ars  |)nviou-l\,  wli.n  ".Sitaii 
was  iinhound  for  a  rnilh'iminni."  The  onK  theo-i.-,  of  tiie 
Eucharist  he  knew  at  his  tran-itinnal  moment  were  those  of 
.Vpiinas,  already  mentioned,  and  ..f  .>s,-,,tus,  who.  on  the  l.asis 
of  ills  doctrine  of  the  omnipot.  -,t  ;ni.i  uneoriditione<|  wi!l  of 
the  Deity,  formed  the  concej)!!..!!  that  a<cidents  existed  iiide- 
pemlently  of  their  suhstaiu  .•.     If  this  wa-  so,  it  followed  that 


JOHN    WVCI.IKhK 


I J I 


tli<-  hrnul  and   wiiir  ..\i,.,..|   iii.|,|M  ii.l.ntlv    ..f  flu-   IJ.mIx    ,.f 
Cliri^t.     Wvdiir,.  i,rt..,.,|  i,,  nfiitMli...!  tlml"  a.-,  i,|,nt>  alwav. 
|>rr>ii|»|M.MH|  MilMan.-,..  ai,.l  thai   In  armn    ntli.rvv  !..•  «a^  t.. 
iilIiiIkc  a  n..h>cn,si.al  pi,,,  wlii.l,  ..vrrtlinvv  ||,..  v.rv  i.atnrr  ..f 
tlu-  .Sa.rar.Mnt,     llr  .hall..,-,,!  tl,,.  .I.f.  ii.l.  r.  ..f  tl'ir  Ma^.  tu 
.l.'fuu-  what  wa>  pr«.|Hrlv  |1„.  .Innnit  whirl,  r.niainr.l  afl.r 
f(.ns.Tratu.i. ;    on.-  r<  |)ii,-,|.  ,,,iai,tits  ;    anothrr,  (|iialitx  •    a 
thir.1,  iinthiim.     S.i.h  .li.a;;rr.Munt  .hn,uri>tr;,(,.,|  (!..■  unt.  ri- 
ahh-n.s.ofthrir  -h..  tririr.  an.l  1...  ,a|.|H..|  hi.  npp,„itinn  uith 
thi' wonlsof  th,(;,.>p,l:    "A  ki,it;,|„in  ,li\  idnl  ayaiiKt  it. .If 
oannot  ,ta..,l."     Kv,,,  if  .n.h  a  n.ira.h.  a.  th.v  ,lai.,H,|  w.t.- 
JM.ssihl,..  It  ua.  MiiMTlhioiis.  f..r  whv  shniiM  j.r.a.i   Ur  aiiiii- 
I'll.itr,!  iiH.nlcrih,,!  Christ',  H.mIv  mav  !.,•  prr.riit  r     Wlu-n  a 
man  l.r,-a„ir  a  lunl  ..r  pr.  latr,  W  n^inaiiir.l  th,.  smir  LriiiK 
notwith.taii.liriK   hi.    hi^.h.T    rank.     S,   it    ua.   with    ('liri>t' 
Uv  .h.l  not  <■,,,>.■  tn  l«.  (m„|  |„.,aii„.  h..  iM-canir  man.      In  lik.- 
niann.T   thr   sulMa.i.r   ..f   tin-   .•u.i,..<rat,.,|    waf.r   wa>    imt 
ilotn.vcd,  it  wa>  pn.mntid  to  hi;,'li(T  iisr..' 

Thr  IMormcr's  na^oniii^rs  ^h.nvcd  thr  wrakiios  ..f  .•,m- 
tn.vcTsy;    they  w.tc  ii„t  always  .MnMstrMt.  and  tli.Tc   an- 
i-idiratu.ns  that  hr  ha.l  at  ..„..  tin.r  ...ndit  a    nirtaplp  .i.al 
interpretation    whirli    roiild     .ati.fy     thr    d.n.ands    o"f    i,i. 
mind,    while    coiiMTN  in^'    hi.    rev.r.n<r    for   th<'    Kuiliari.t. 
Ill  his  expositions  of  it.  iiatun-  he   .lid    not   all.nv   his  niili^ 
tancy  t.j  .'arry  him  l,eyo„.|  .lu.'  I.oun.ls,  n..r  <li.l  !„•   torf.it 
that    refill.'.!    .|ev.)ti..n  wlii.h   i.  for  relitrion  what   th.'    imt- 
fiime  is  for  the  r..s,-.     Th.-oloKieallv  l„.   h.M  that   th.'  I.r.a.l 
an.l   wine  were  th.'  H.^ly  an.l    HI.mkI  .,f  ('hri.t,  f..r  Chri.t 
ha.l  so„r.lain.'.l   th-n  at  th.-  Last  Siipp,r;    th.-  w..r.ls  of 
institution  .'ontain.'..  in  the  (;.»pel  w.Te  .•on.-iu,iv.'  .m  that 
I><)int.      Hut  h..w  th,    L.,r.j  .,f  th.'  F.ast  wa.  .'.me.'ah'.l  in  the 
fiements  he  e.,iil.l    n..t  .xplain,  an.l   x.in.tim.'s  lo>t   himself 
while  en.leavorinK  t..  .1..  s...     H.'  saw  an  anal..-v  hetween  the 
JVrsoii  .,f  J.-sus  Christ,  as  l„.i„jr  n.'ith.r  s.,lelv  ("reat..r,  nor 
.solely  en-atiir.',  an.l  the  l.r.'a.l  .,f  the  altar  whi.h  was  l.oth 


'  (i.  V.  Li-chK-r;   "  VVydilT..  ami  hi.  Kimli-I,  IV.riirM 


i..  .ilT 


i 


w^mmmmmms^:^. 


122      THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


If 


H 


r       I 


eartlil;-  •.r.d  lioavoiily ;  real  hrciul,  iiiul  at  tin-  same  time, 
the  n-al  ,Um\\  .  Tlio  Ucal  rrcsfiur  was  a  icality,  (tcca- 
sioiu'd  h\  till-  words  of  coiisfcration,  wliicli  wm-  iH-cessarv 
for  the  siiiMTiioniial  cliaiiut'.  Tlic  hrv.ul  and  \\  iiii-  rt'iiiaiiH-d 
Slid'.,  hut  also  hccainc  in  verity  tlie  Hody  and  HKxkI  of  the 
Reih'enier.  Not  tliat  the  },dorifie(l  Body  of  Clirist  descended 
from  Paradise  to  enter  tlie  eltinents :  lie  was  present  in  an 
iniponcU'ralle  and  intanyihle  iiiainier,  as  tlie  soul  of  man  was 
present  in  liis  Ixnly.  "The  Saerament  of  the  jiltar, "  he  said, 
"is  the  Hody  of  Christ  in  the  form  of  bread  —  bread  in  a 
natural  manner,  and  Body  in  a  saeraineiital  manner,"  and 
the  communicant  spiritually  jwrccived  and  handled  the  Lord's 
rie>h  an<l  Blood  thus  concealed  in  the  Host.  Its  j;race  and 
hlessinj;  deiH-nded  upon  the  faith  of  the  recipient,  and  a  nice 
<listinction  was  drawn  between  the  coriK)real  and  si)iritual 
ttiste  of  the  consecrated  elements.'  These  conclusions,  while 
differiiif;  in  important  details,  are  closely  allie<l  to  the  Lu- 
theran theory  of  Consubstantiatioii. 

The  abuses  connected  with  the  worship  of  the  Altar  were 
condemned  by  Wycliffe,  whose  resentment  was  i)articularly 
aroused  ajjainst  the  clerjiy's  deliberate  use  of  the  Mass  to 
increase  their  power  and  importaflce  in  the  eyes  of  the  simple. 
"Can  a  creature,"  he  demanded,  "f;ivc  bein^tohis  Creator?" 
Some  who  pretended  to  do  so,  he  continued,  were  priests  of 
Baal,  not  of  Christ.  But  thouf;h  he  described  their  idea  of  the 
Mass  as  a  mischievous  fable,  he  did  not  correctly  estimate  its 
place  in  the  nu-dieval  Church  as  the  keystone  of  her  doctrinal 
system  and  the  secret  of  her  orj;anic  life.  The  bishops  pro- 
tested that  were  it  modified  or  rt'liiKiuishcd,  the  faith  and 
obedience  of  communicants  would  be  sul)verte(l,  a  statement 
whicli  is  i)artly  jiistiKed  by  the  fact  that  the  hold  of  clericalism 
i;  strouficst  tinlay  where  a  hij;h  doctrine  of  the  Kucharist  is 
accepted.  This  assertion  is  made  with  the  knowledge  that 
there  are  in  Catholicism  not  hss  than  four  [KTmissible  ex- 


'  (!.  v.  Li'clilcr:    "Wy.lilTo  ami  his  Kimlisli  Procursors"  ;   i>p.  332-301. 


JOHN    WYCLIFKK 


123 

en  as  yet  no 


pliinations  of  the  iIoj;niii,  iii)om  wliicli  there  lias  bc( 
autlioritative  decision. 

The  uproar  following;  \V\  ( liMVs  rexolt  showed  how  deei)lv 
entrenched   tiie   Mass  was  in  tlie  hearts  of  Ixlievers.     As 
early  as  i;5S(l  Ch;.nccIlor   Ucrton  and   a  coinicil   of  twelve 
rnemhers  conch'inneil  his  theses,  and  forhafh-  th.-  Hefornier 
to  lecture  at   tlie   Tniversity.      Joim  of  (lainit   inirried   to 
Oxford   and    lu-souKht    his    adv.Kate    not    to    meddle   with 
the  ark  of  the  Lord.     The  Koverntnent  witlidrew  its  patron- 
age from  him,  and   his  friend>,  witii  a  few  exceptions,  left 
him  to  encounter  the  hurricane  alone.     It  was  a  triuinphal 
hour  forCourtenay,  when,  as  it  se.'iiicl,  the  results  of  Wyc- 
liife's  K'ifrantic  labors  had   instantaneously  vanished.     Even 
at  this  juncture  he  mi-ht    liav(>   retracted  and  yielded  to 
C.aunt's  importunities,  sacrificin-r  convi.'tion  to  persoual  >;ain 
and    remaining;  the  eminent  doctor   and   teacher,   and   the 
clu.sen  advisor  of  i)rinces.     There   i>  little  doubt  that  tlie 
hierarchy   would    have    wclcouied    and    rcward.'d    the   sub- 
mission of  its  most  ;;ift<'d  an.l   formidable  foe.     Hut  such 
was  not  the  mettle  of  the  man   who,  whatever  his  failures 
and  shortcomings,  now  turned  his  back  up.>n  the  temptations 
of  place  and  power.     He  |)etitione(l  the  throne  that  his  teach- 
ings sluMild   be  i)ui)licly  expounded   in  thr  churches  of  the 
nation,  and   contimied.  undismayed,  his  resolute  efforts 
l)ehalf  of  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth  of  (lod. 


in 


I 


I.l 


i  '■ 


i  -.  ; 


i|      f 


3 

I 
■J 


CHAPTER  IV 
PRLXCES  AND  PEOPLE 


(' 


\  01 


12"; 


I 


i 


Once  more  the  Church  is  srized  with  sudden  fear, 

And  iit  her  rail  is  Wyclif  disinhumed  : 

\fH,  his  dry  Ixnu's  to  ashes  are  eonsuined 

And  fhiiiK  into  tiie  brook  that  travels  near; 

Fortinvitii,  that  ancient  Voice,  wliich  Streams  can  i .  f.r, 

Tluis  sjwaks  (that  Voice  whicli  walks  upon  the  wind, 

Thoiijih  seldom  heard  by  l)usy  human-kind)  — 

"As  thou  tliese  aslies,  little  Brook  !  wilt  bear 

Into  the  Avon,  Avon  to  the  tide 

()f  Si'MTn,  .S«'vern  to  the  narrow  seas, 

Into  main  Ocean  they,  this  deed  accurst 

All  eiiil)Icin  yields  to  friends  and  enemies 

How  the  bold  Teacher's  DcK't'rine,  s  nctifiiHl 

By  truth,  shall  spread,  throuKhout  the  world  dispersed." 

W'ouDswouTii's  nia.itical  Sonneh. 


I 


I 

f 


126 


I    .  5 


CFIAITKIi  IV 


I'KIXC  i;.S    AM)    I'KoI'LIO 


I  I 


3 


S 

i 


Political  life  of  KiiKland  in  tl„.  fouit.'.nth  .enturv  —  The  wars 
with  Frai..v  — Til..  HIa.k  IVin,,.  K.lwanl  Ml  .|.,lm  <,f  (;aiint - 
.Social  co.i.litions  in  i:,i;;laii,l  The  Itla.k  Death  a.i.i  its  cff.rts  - 
IVasaiits'  Kcvolt  ..;■  1:M  WydillV  a.-ciiM.J  „f  c.niplicitv  Tiic 
EartlK|iiakc  C'omi<il  —  Wyditrc'..  translation  of  the  Scriptures  -  Pur- 
vey "s  version  —  Wyililfe',  P„„r  l'ri,-l,  'rriMlo^Ms  -  Opus  Kvanneli- 
(Hiiii  -  Cniciata  -  Wy.litfe  cite.l  I.efure  rrl)aii  in  l.isl,  —  Illm-ss  and 
death  —  Suiiiuiary  of  his  character. 

I 

The  history  of  nliuion  in   Kiic;l;iu(l  (liiriiiL;  tlic  foiirteoiith 
century  is  i;ir};cly  a  rccor.l  of  .jchatc-s  and  (litlVrt'iiccs  wliich 
afJtrtcd   tile   political    status   of  cclcsiasticisiii.     Vet   tiicse 
(•ontroversics  an.j  \V\ .litre's  part  in  tlicin  were  hut  one  phase 
of  the  life  of  the  eoinni..n\\(altli.     Th.'  main   eiirrents  of 
iiis  thoii<;ht  ami   action   .an  !..•  luM  aMrrtaine.l  an.l  their 
hackjiroinul  surveyed  h\  a  reiVrenee  to  the  fate  which  that 
pemTiition  endured  in  peaee.  in  war,  an.'  above  all  in  the 
pestilences  which  came  to  >fay  for  the  next  I'oiir  centuries, 
and  caused  u.      rallele.l  -.iifrerini;  thr.)iii.'hont  Ktiroiie.     The 
one  hiuidred  ai.-i  seveiity-ei-hl  years  which  elapsed  hetweeii 
the  death  of  the  first  K.lwanl  an.l  the  accession  .)f  Henry  \'I[ 
were  distracted  liy  calamity  and  tiirni.)il  at  h.)nie,  hy  initial 
victory  an.l  ultimate  defeat  to  Kn,i,dish  arms  al>r.)a.l.     The 
Black  Death  and  the  Tea^ants'  itev.ilt  an.i  the  campai^'iis  in 
Kranee  were  the  events  of  this  p.Tio.l  which  pro\ cd  to  he  most 
serious  atid   lasting;  in  tlieir  consc(|neiices.     The  early  tri- 
imiphs  over  the  French  rcvcal.il  to  Kiirop.Mii  .hivalry  the 
prowess  of  K.lwanl  the  Thinl"-  r..louhtahlc  infantry  and  the 
archers  and   kiiifeineii   .if  Wales,   who,   iin.Jer  his  stratej^y, 

I  J" 


I: 


I  r 


ft  I 


128      THRKK    KELIOIOUS   LEADKUS   OF   OXFOKD 


luirlcl  Lack  tlu-  attack  cf  tl,c  French  kriiKlithcuHl  at  Crecy  in 
1340.  and.  thonuli  fodr  times  ontnumlM-rcd,  remained  "the 
masters  of  the  fiel.l.     Ten  years  later,  the    Bh.ck    Prince 
havni^  alrea.ly  foujiht  as  a  la.l  of  fourteen  uikUt  his  father's 
eye  at  (>e<y,  won  a  still  more  astoimdinR  success  hehind  the 
vnu^^^^anls  of  Poitiers,  where  the  French  King  John,  surnamed 
the  (,o..d.  was  taken  prisoner.     But  these  adventures  provwl 
as  useless  as  they  were  hrilliant ;  they  inflamed  that  military 
arrogance  whicli  sou^'ht  occasions  for  a  (juarrel ;  their  monj- 
tary  cost  increased  hy  leai)s  and  houtuls;  and  the  baronage 
which  sel.lom  vailed  its  crest  to  the  French  foe.  could  not 
loiiK  endure  the  restraints  of  domestic  peace.     The  scions  of 
the  arist<.cracy.  who  resiK-cted  little  except  phvsical   force 
fell  foul  of  on.-  another,  and  were  finally  exterminate<i  in  the 
ferociou>  Wars  of  the  Roses. 

Th,.  treaty  of  Br<ti-n>  .  confinned  on  October  20,  VM),  by 
which  France  ceded  lu-arly  one  third  of  her  territor\-  to  Eng- 
land, ended  the  first  sta^e  of  the  IIun<lre<l  Years'  War.     The 
rewards  of  battle  enriched  tlu>  cities  and  castles  of  Kdvvard's 
Kingdom,  and  his  fiftieth  birth.lay  was  kept  with  the  pomp 
behttniK  so  unexampled   a  conquest.      His  fame   rang   in 
all    mens    ears;    no    other  ruler  of  th-   dav    could    equal 
the    regalities   of    the   chief   prince    of    (Miristen.lom,    con- 
trasted as  they  were  with  the  distress  and  humiliation  of 
his  <iefeated   foes.     For  the   nonce   all   went  merrilv.   and 
th.-  royal  .curt  was  the  scene  of  stately  ceremonials  and 
sumptuous  f.-astings.     At  this  apex  of  prosix-ritv,  when  a 
m()rihund  phase  r.-asserted  itself,  <lee.ls  of  valor  and  knightly 
d(-hance    were    comnu-morate.l    in    the    Hoim.l    Tower    at 
Windsor,   wh.r,-  the  Or.ler  ..f  the  Garter  was  establishwl 
n.  the  winter  ,.f  1347,  slu.rtly  after  the  king's  return  from 
r  ranee. 

But  the  sufrering  and  <lisc.)nt.-nt  of  the  people  were  in 
glaring  contrast  with  the  artifi.-ial  exuberance  of  their  rulers. 
1  he  lahonrs  of  six  surrounding  c.Hinti.-s  were  impressed  to 
build  Edward's  Tower,  and  his  Order  was  instituted  when 


JOHN    WVCLIFFE 


129 


I 

I 


3 


nearly  even  household  in  tlie  hiiid  lay  stricken  by  the  ria>;iu-. 
The  syeophaiitie  yet  observant   Froissart  pive  his  readers 
KJimpsesof  an  imiK-ndinj;  catastrophe.     Ileeoniplaiiied  thatall 
was  not  well  with  Knuland.     Xotwithstandinj;  the  intoxiea- 
tion  of  militarism,  the  i)lain  folk  were  vindictive,  disloyal 
toward    their   superiors,   and    dis.lainful    of   foreigners.  '  A 
nearer  view  than  Froi.ssart's  would  have  recognize.?  that  tlie 
disaffeetion,  which  hejjan  as  earl.x   as  13  H»,  was  due  to  ex- 
orbitant taxation,  to  other  economic  anci  political  evils,  and 
to  the  incessant  demand  for  fresh  levies  to  .Icfcnd  the  French 
possessions  of  the  Crown.     As  an  aftermath  of  these  excesses 
came  the  useless  ex{M-dition  of  I'.bruar>-.   13(;7.  when  the 
Black   I'rince  and   his  troops  marched  throuKJi  the  snowy 
defiles  of  the  Pyrenees  and  restored  IVdro  HI  to  the  throne 
of  {^istile.      This   gallant   campaign    <()st    the    Prince    h's 
health  and  bankrupte.1   his  .■xcheciuer.   while  tlu-  mc.narch 
who  gained   a    tenijjorary  advantage   from    it   was    utterly 
imworthy  of  its  sacrifices.     The    Prince's    Dudu    „f  Aqui- 
taine    rose    in    rebelli..n    against    the    financial    measures 
necessary  to  discharge  his  huge  indebtedness.     In  .September, 
1370,  he  turned  upon  the  city  of  Limoges,  where  the  insurrec- 
tion centered,  and  stormed  and  sacked  it  with  a  savagery 
that  left  a  dark   stain   upon   his   memory.     The  following 
sprmg  he  returmnl  home  to  languish  for  six  years  in  the  grip 
of  a  mysterious  malady  which  defied  the  primitive  remedies 
then  in  vogue,  and  was  aggravated  by  his  despair  over  the 
rum  of  the  Plantagenet  sovereignty  in  France.     His  father, 
now  fa.st  approaching  senility,  had  transferred  the  maiiag<<- 
ment  of  .state  affairs  to  his  second  son.  John  (.f  daunt,  who 
ruliKi  by  the  fear  rather  than  the  affection  of  the  realm. 

Gaunt  was  unjustly  suspected  by  his  brotlicr  of  designs 
upon  the  throne,  and  these  suspicions  were  heightenixl   by 

.storiesof  favoritism,  corrui)tion,  a4.(l  lawlessness  brou-dit  to  the 
invalided  Pri.ur  at  Kennington  Pala<r.  The  nation  now 
knew  that  its  beloved  hero  was  physically  shattered.  Hi^ 
prospective  subjects  were  .lismayed  by  tlie  s(,mber  clouds 


14. 


hi 


r 


i( 


h'i 


130     TIIRKK    KKI.KilOlS    LKADKHS   OF   OXKdUD 

wlii.li  .[.nii.l  nipidlv  over  tlic  liori/oii  <,f  tli.ir  fntiirc.     Tlicy 
liii.l  nlicl  iip„M  lii>  wixloiii  iind  jiiMicf  IK)  h-ss  tlii.M  upon  his 
prow,...  in  tlu-  fi.M.     "Tluir  w.in.n,"  si.i.l  tlu-  ('i.r..r.i,I,.r 
nt  W.il.inuliimi,  "s.'.m.Ml  l.oiind  up  in  liis  imtsoh.     It  liarl 
fl'»iiri.lw.l    in    hi,   h<iilth.    it    liin,nni>h..|    in    l,is   ilhifss,   „n(l 
I)«n,h,',i  iit  Ins  .h'.itli ;  in  him  rxpind  .ill  the  h(.p.'s  ,.t'  tii.'  Knj;- 
ii>h."     lie  (li,.<|  on  .Iniic  s,  I.S7(1,  i„  his  f,,rtv-sixth  vrar.  at 
tlu-  Palarc  „f  W.Mn.in.t.r;    hi^  work  .l.-inolishcl,  his  sp'irit 
l)r()kcn,   iMid    th.'    kiiiKd.im    s.rtliini;    with    nnitinv.     Tliorc 
was  no  availal.lf  spacr  ainon-  tlw  n.val  tonil.s  in  tlu-  sacred 
nionn.l  of  KdwanI  th.^  <'ontV»or.  and  tli.'  IVin.c  was  l.nricd 
II.  (  antcrl.nry  ("atlu.lral,  wh.r.'  thr  amis  \w  won-  in  l.attle 
i.n-  hnn-  al.ov,-  hi>  tonil..     Hi,  s.-paration  from  his  hoiiM-. 
.'v.-n  ni  the  plair  of  Mpnitnr.-,  ix-tokcnc-d  his  nmtc  protcsta- 
ti..M  afiain>t   tlu-  .Ir-.-iu-racy  of  the  fath.-r  "whose  follv  he 
had    vainly  tried    t..  eorreet.  and   the   son    whose  dooiii   he 
ini^dit  foresee,  l.nt  eonid  not  avert."  '     Ahhoiiirh  his  eiilo^ists 
niv(-sted  hini  with  some  virtues  he  did  not  posess,  his  eharae- 
tertranse.-n.led  tlu- -.-n.-ral  m..rals.,f  the  time.      It  was  sullied 

l.y  the  vu.l.-nt  ..nthreakat  l.inu.-.s.ana.t  f.)r.iKn  t.)  his  nature 
aiul  eommitte.1  wlun  lu-  was  w.-ak  an.l  iras.-il.le  from  eon- 
timu-.i  illn..>s.  The  <l..,,n.-nt  an.l  .liM-riminatinK  Mishop 
Hrint..n  ..t  I{...lu-st.r  >p.,k.-  ..f  him  in  t.-rms  of  respect  ami 
prais.-.  an.l  tlu-  maj<.rity  of  his  c.nt.-mix.raries  indorse.!  the 
Hishop  >  vt-r.lict. 

Kijrht  y.-ars  aft.-r  tlu-  r.-,i..i.in;;s  an.l  tonrnameiits  which 
iislu-r.-.|  in  K.luar.1  tlu-  Tliinl',  fifti.tli  l.irth.lav.  he  ha.l 
lost  nearly  all  his  territories  l..-y.,n,l  the  Channel.  The 
intermmal.le  wars  with  l-Vaiur  ha.l  l.roken  ..ut  apiin  :  the 
lMi;;lish  ...a^ts  w<-re  niena.-.-.l  l.y  pirat.-s  ;  an.l  .lohn  of  (Jaunt's 
reaeti.>nary  I'arliam.-nt  pr.,vok.-.l  tlu-  popular  wrath.  Alice 
l'«Tr,-r>,  tlu-  kin-V  mi^r.-.s.  .l,-.k,.,|  in  tlu-  .|.-a.l  Qiie.-n's 
,|ew.-!s,  nia-.(pi.-ra.l.-.l  at  tli.- tiltinu'  xar.ls  as  the  Lady  of  the 
Sun.  .Sh,.  sat  ..p.-nly  at  tlu-  ju.j-.-s'  sjde  in  the  law  courts, 
mterf(-red  with  l.-i>lati.m.  an.)  ,li.p,-ns,-.l  tlu-  n.yal  patronage 

'(..    M,    T<rvr\yn,        '    l:„^|,,„.l    II,    ll,..     \.^,.   n!    WyclifT,.  -        „     .'7. 


.lolIN    WVCI.II'I'K 


131 


to  her  fiutteriTs.  On  the  jiiliilcc  n|'  hi-  nifjti  Kdwnrd  >;raiit«-(l 
a  frctitTiil  aimioty,  wliidi  |ir(.\ cd  tn  lie  hi--  lii^t  iii't  of  pivcni- 
nu'iit.  A  iVu  in(>iitli>  liilcr,  on  .Innc  :.'l,  |:;77,  he  difd  nt  the 
ntval  nnnKirofSlicfii,  mlilicd  lu  In-  Icnuin  in  lii^  la-t  nmnirnts 
of  tin-  \vT\  rinjis  on  lii>  (in;:(T-.  While  he  lay  in  tlir  final 
UKony,  moaning:  for  a  i)rit-i  to  >liri\c  liini,  >lic  I'nrMink  liiinand 
fled;  tin-  |)ara>iti(al  niini^tcr^  aUn  lia>tcncd  away  to  frrcct 
tiu'  lu'w  ninnarcli,  and  the  -<T\anl->  of  the  lion-rliold  plun- 
diTt'd  tin-  dtatli  cliaiiilxT.  Iticliard  11.  who  ^nccccdtii  his 
KrandfatluT,  fnltilird  the  gloomy  destiny  of  the  I'lantairencts. 
Ht'ninnin;;  as  a  handMunc  and  pronii^in^'  yonth,  he  ended  as 
a  despised,  deposed,  and  nninliTed  kin;,',  the  moody,  fitfnl, 
treaeheroMs  "  iiichard  the  ludelt ->."  in  w  honi  none  could  put 
faitli.  His  uncle,  John  of  (launt,  ha>  already  fi;;ured  in  this 
history  as  the  Ino^t  di>tin;;ni>hed  political  ptTMinality  who 
offered  protection  to  Wydill'c.  The  Duke  took  hi>  name  from 
(ihent,  where  he  w;t-  horn  at  the  Ahlicy  of  St.  Havon  in  1:>K», 
when  lii>  parents  were  in  l"laiidcr>  on  a  diplomatic  errand. 
He  inherited  the  >talwart  huild  ami  inaiil\  leature>  of  the 
Anj;e\iiis,  ami  with  tlicM'  pli\>ical  trait>  their  pride  and 
amhitiou.  l''la>hcs  of  hereditary  distinction  from  time  t(» 
time  broke  tliron^h  lii>  han-litx  rcMTvc;  he  wa--  a  pleasmt 
companion  where  he  clio>c  to  award  hi>  preference,  and  la- 
had  the  courajrc  of  hi>  hlood.  a  hiind  (Dura^re.  however,  so  far 
us  his  p'lieraMiii)  wa>  concerned.  I'oet-  and  dramati-ts  and 
a  series  of  jiropitious  circinn>tance>  lia\e  coml)ineil  to  thrust 
celehrity  upon  him.  ('Iiamcr  wa>  wont  to  frccinent  his 
lordly  house  ui)on  the  Straml.and  li-ten  to  the  "  xifte  vpeeche" 
of  the  fjolden-haired  hnly  of  ulioin  he  sin^  in  the  "  Hooke  of 
the  DiichesM'."  He  may  lia\c  met  WyclilVc  tiiere.  >ince  the 
hitter's  connection  with  the  Duke  rcipiircd  their  frecpient  in- 
tercourse. Ciaunt  was  twice  married,  fir-t  to  Mlanciu-.  the 
youufiest  dauirhtcrof  Ifcnrx  ,  Hukc  of  l,anca--ter,  who-c  title 
and  estates  he  inherited,  and  nc\t  to  ( 'on-taiicc.  the  heire>>  of 
Don  I'edro  of  Castile,  who  linuii^dit  him  additional  wealth 
and  honors.     To  these  marriai,'c>  the  ;;Teat  feudator\  of  the 


!  i: 


if 


\:V2 


TIIUKK    KKI.KiloiS    LKADKUs   oK   (».\K()KI) 


....rt,...n,lM.nm.rvo«,.,|t|„n„n.!ti,.lu.tyofhm..liturvrluims 
- ...  w  ...1.  lu-  wa>  ...T  iM.s, .     n.r  fiftc-n.  v.ars  lu-  was  the 

.  ..lar  ku.g  of  (  aM> ,. ;  for  ,wHv..  tlu-  n.l.r  of  K,.«la,Hl  in  all 
"  -.am. ;    ...  ..,.  He„ry  l\  ..i..|  th.  throno  fr..,.  Uidmrd 

I.  a...l  I..S  lu.raM,,.  .!..,„.  ar.  still  f..,.,.,!  .,„  the  arms  of 
Ijonh-aux.  a,..l  aro  .am, „  those  of  the  reip.ing  House  of 

!««•  i..erite,l  i.o  s,.,-h  pree.ninei.ce.  either  as  a  strategist  or  as 

V     .   e.  a,..|  tu,  hate.   a„.|  ,,|.,tte.l  uKah.st  hi„,  as  the  f.« 
.     ..st.,.e  a,.,    h  .ert.v.     The  KroteM,„e  exa^p-ratio-.s  of  his 

Meel.  >„.,   to   Uve  tre-s    L„..in.r;-   ea..    he   s,.m 
n..sse,l.     ()„  the  other  ha„.|.  his  sol.liers  spoke  ki.,.11     of  a 
.aimn.,   who  sel,lo„.   |,.,1   the,,,  su.ressfully  i,.  hattle".  a,.d 
-I"!'-  -t  er  ...,r>i„K  ,.or  l.lessi,.^  hi,...  asserted  that  he  wa 
'.p<T  p.ilty   of   that    ,„ost    .erions   of  offenses,  dislovaltv. 
I  ..w  narrowly  ,„„st  this  the  .mpardonal.le  sin  of  .nodieval 
«•  uvalry  have  heen  ax..i.le.l  l,y  a  leader  who  at  ..o  tin.e  won 
.  .st.nefon   for  fidelity.'     (■hau..er-s  favoral.le  j..d  ',,     .     o 

hnn,s  ..trustworthy  than  tlu.t  of  his  tn..pllLu^U 
«as  i„  ated  l.y  ,.repossess,ons  arisin^^  fro,,,  friendship  and 
s.K..al  a.  vantage  And  if  Cannt  was  trne  to  the  interests  of 
<  <|-  and  party,  he  eertah.ly  tV.|t  no  i.npulse  to  repress  the 

-fir  r  \l  \  r'  ''""^•^■-  '''''^'  ^^'^-'^'rati..,  zeal 
.f  h.s  an  estor  Kdward  I  was  not  in  hi,n  ;  <„,  the  eontrarv. 

.'-..l.ord.nated  h.s  poheies  to  the  sehe.nes  of  a  selfish  a.H 
onll,  Kroup  wh.ehd.sKM.ised  ha.een.ls  heneath  professions  of 
h.ro.s„..      n-.aste  of  whieh  he  was  the  representative  wa 
1ft'  T   ,"  ^   ""'  ""'•  ■  *'"'  '*  '"■^''"•■^  '^^  "I>I...rtunities  for 
|..arter   tra.npled  d..wn  n.  I.iood  the  rising  spirit  of  proK- 
rss.      .snl,.e(,nent  ..-eration,   have  forgiven    the    Duke's 

hat  he  reheved  the  poverty  of  Chancer  a..d  reseued  Wve- 
hHe  from  ,,er.l.  two  jjenerons  acts  that  secured  for  him  ihe 


JOHN    VVYCLIFFK 


133 


in(lorsement  of  ShakosiM-an-  ami  tl 
Jolin  of  (iauiit,  tiriu 


tion  of  Kdwaril   I,  aixl 


10  rcsoiiiKliriK  natiu- 
lioiiorfd  LaiicasttT."     With  tl 


vwu  in  liis  casr  tl 


>l(i 

U-  t'X<f|>- 

«•  rxci'iitiiiii   is 
nil 


not  absolute,  the  I'laiitan.-iu'ts  wastnl  tli.-ir  siil»>taii<r  a 
enerKy  upon  wil.l  .-scapa.l.-s.  TIum-  who  uitiu-ssod  tlu„ 
ending  in  HichanI  II  iini>t  have  mall.-.l  tin-  .K-fia.it  saving 
of  CuMir  <lf  Li(.n.  "IVoin  the  devil  w.-  ,Mnie  and  to"  the 
devil  we  shall  all  ko."  Vet  laudal.le  ol.jects  wen-  some- 
times aceoniplished  contrary  to  their  intention,  thus  inakinK 
their  evil  an  unexpeeted  means  for  ko<k|.  The  rise  of  self- 
government  in  KiiKland.  of  national  unity  and  patriotic- 
resistance  in  Seotlan.l  and  France,  and  the  l.reakinK  down 
of  eonunereial  harriers  hi-tween  tlu-  island  kingdom  and  the 
continent,  should  he  weighed  a>;ainst  deeds  which  in  them- 
selves were  high-handed  wron),'s. 

We  may  now  turn  from  the  princes  „f  the  i)eriod  to  the 
plain  people,  those  who  really  sntr.r  from  war  an<l  its  deadly 
allies,  famine  and  pestilence,  which  destroy  what   war  has 
spar«l  or  failed  to  reach.     From  the  middle  of  the  thirtei-nth 
to  the  close  of  tin-  fourteenth  century,  the  average  price  of 
wheat  was  thirty  dollars  a  quarter,  whi.h  was  of  course  pro- 
hibitive for  the  |)easantry.     Proclamations  were  issu.-d   to 
cheapen  victuals,  hut  without  ellVct.     Not  only  the  jx.or  hut 
the  more  fortunate,  including  the  monks,  felt  the  pinch  (.f 
want.     .Starvation  induced  disease,  and  the  e|)i(lcmic  of  UW.) 
followed,  stalking  throu:,:i  Oxford  during  Wyclilfe's  residence 
there  and  l)h)tting  out  the  thought  (.f  lesser  miseries  l.y  the 
extent  and  deadliness  of  its  .ontagion.     This  overwheiming 
calamity  which  befouled  Kngland  and  the  Fun.pean  coun- 
tries arose  in  .\sia,  and.  according  to  W;ilsi„gham,  extendt-d 
from  the  shores  of  China  to  those  .)f  (lalway  in  Ireland.     It 
was  first  heard  of  in  its  western  course  at  a  small  (ienoese 
f«)rt  in  the  Crimean  peninsula,  whence  it  was  convcved  to 
Constantinople  by  trading  vessels  whose  crews  lay  dving  on 
the  decks,  and  from  that  i)lac.-,  traversing  the  entire  sea 
coasts,  was  Imrne  to  all  |)arts  of  Kurope.     A  contemporary 


i 


I 


p. 


I-U      TIIUKI.    HI  I. minis    l.i;.\l)i;i{s   (tr  ((XKulM) 

fru.r.   .M„|,a   !   |'l:„i.„H..  Im,  Irt,  a  .n„,ln,.  a.r.Mn,t  ..f  tl..- 
IliiKiir   in  .s,nK.     "A   n..„t   .I..Mlly   |...>tilni.r."   lu-   wml,- 

^'"■""^'  ^'•'"  •'"•  '"'i>-.'  i^lnii.l.      It  l,„i.|,nir,|  tlmt  in  flu' 

""""I"''<''"-1'<<-.  I  MT.tu.K. .(;.,„,,„,  ,|„,„j,,i„^,  ,■,,„„„„. 
'  iMiir  v.n-.aiir,.  ul.i,  I,  ,„ir  I,,,nl  Inr  i.Mir  >i,i,  |„mI  s,.|,t  up..., 

""■"'•  I""  '"«•  •!'<•  iM.rt  „!•  Mr,,iM;..  l.rii.^n.K  witli  lli.'.n  Mi.h  a 
>i.ki,...,  .  i,m,„.  ,„  ,|„,ir  x,.r,  .,  ,,,^„    ,,■  I  ^„,^  ,,,^^.  ^^^^.^^^ 

";  "';•"'•  '"•  ""^  ''"•'•'■•l>   ^'ni.k  «iil.  ,• rial  M.kn..>.  fr..,n 

"'"'■''  ''"■^•'  ^^••'-  ""  <•-■ ■'  '     AltiH..!   .ii,„iltan.n„>lv  with 

It;  n|.|«aranr,.  ,n  ItaU  tl„.  |„.Mil...Mv  ul.iain.'.l  a  r.M,ti;„|,|  ii, 
Iran.v.  ami  ua.  .arrir,!  Iru,,,  (  alai-,  tl,....  a..  K..Kli>h  i„.ss,.s. 
>'.....    f.,    tl„.    <  ha...„.|    Ma.i.U.    a. ..I    li„allv    int..    Kni;|a,Ml 

'•■*'' "«"'  -M-l'-mlH.  i;.KiN..r\V..v,n.,nth.i..  I  ),.rM-tshin- 

thr   l„,rril.|,.  .Lm^.m-.    n,,\\    k.,..un   a.    thr   l,nl,..nic   pJajriK. 
>t..a.hlv   ...va.l.Ml   tl,.-    >.„..l.«..,„.rn   a...|   n.i.Han.l   ......ntifs' 

"■'<!   ..1.   tl...   fir.t   ..!•   .\,.v..,.l„.r  pa»...|   witl.i.,   tl..-  Kiit.'s  „f 
I....I.I.....      It.  s.vn.pt......  .|,.\,.|,,p,.,|   uiti,   ..Ntrnn,.   rapi.lity 

aii.l   ..,,p.r,..l  M..I,   t.Tr.-r  that   tj...  nrar.'M   rclativ.-s  „f    tlu' 
>tn,k.„  ,|,rank  Ir.-in  li...  ..r.li..arv  ..Hi.v>  ..f  .-liaritv.     "'|'||,. 

>i.k  ...an  ia>   lani:..i>l.ii,u  ain....  j,,  hj.  |h,.i>,.  a.i.l  ..,.'.„.,.  ,,„„»' 

"Mi.i-  li.in.     Tl.,,,,.  ,„nM  .l.ar  tn  him.  r.-ar.||r,>  .,f  the  tifs  of 
km.ir..,l   .,r   all'.Mti.....    witL.lr.u    tl....,.M.|v>   t..  a   .li>tai.cc  • 

llir  .ln,.t,,r  .ii,|  n.,t  ,..„,..•  t..  I. ill. .a. I.I  ..v,.,,  tl.f  pri..,t  with  iVar 
ill..]  tnnihiin^  a.lniini>t.T...I  il...  Sacra.ii.Mits  ..f  the  ( 'hiirch 
Aifi.  1..I.I  u,,i,..n.  ra.  k..|  uitli  tl...  .•..iiMirnini;  iVwr.  plca.lf.l 

'•lit  m  Nam,  Inr  a  .Iran^^ht  .,(  xvafr,  aii.l  ..m-Ic^Iv  ravel  for 
s...n.n,H.  In  ual.liat  tji.ir  l.,..Ni,l,..     Tli.'  fatlu-r  nr  tlir  wife 
vv..n  ,1  n,,t  t..u.li  tlu-  .-..rpM.  ,.f  ,.|,il.|  ,.r  liu.l.an.l  t..  prrparr  it 
»"r  tl,,.  ,Ta^...  .,r  l„i|.,w  it  tl.ith.r.     \.,  prav.T  was  sai.l.  nor 

>...■„,„  .,ll,.r  Mil.;:.  n..r  I..II  t.,ll,..|  t„r  tlir  fiin.Tal  of  ,-v,.„  the 
""''.■.t  .It./..,, :  l.iit  l.y  .lav  an.l  nid.t  tlir  .-..rpM-s  wrn-  l,„nio 
t..  tli(.  .■.,iii,..„„  plaL,'.,.-pit  with.Mit  fit..  .,r  .•..rniK.nv." - 

;IIm.  aiinaK  „(  Ji,  rava,-...  i„  Kiiirjan.l  ar.'  lo.m'.l  in  the 
.■p.M...pal  r..;:.>t.r~.  ....„.aMi.-,hr..ni.l,.,,an.l  t.,w..  rm.r.ls  „f 
the  kn.-,l.,ni.     Tl,..  ii..,rtaiitv  ^^a .....rii,..,.,  that  in  the 


1 


•lOlIN    \V\(  MKKK 


13') 


wonN    (if    a    \.  ,,|'    tlx'    |Mrii«l,    "wry    nian.x    coiuitry 

towriN  ami  <|uart«Ts  of  inriiiiiiiraliic  riiic^  ari'  left  alt<>),'»tli(T 
"itiu.iit    iiilial>itaiits      'Ihc    fliiinho   or   (■••metcric^    Ixforc 
<<.iiM-cniti'.|  iliil   imt    ^ii(Ii(f  fur  the  (Icii.l  ;     l.iit    tww    \t\mvs 
<Mit>itl»'  the  riti<'>  anil  fnwn-  ucrc  at  that  tiiin'  (Inlicatf.l  tn 
that  lis,.  |,\  |i,.,,|,|,.  anil  l»ishui)>."  '     ( 'oiiMTvativr  authorities 
aun*'  lliat   the  |><>|iuhiti<>ii  of  Iji^rhiml  (IccrniM-il   from  five 
iiiillioii>    to    two    anil    a    half    million^.     An    iinroii-cion-lv 
|)athcti<'  romiMfht  upon  thc-f  .hplorahli-  statistic-  is  foiiiMJ 
ill  "I'iffs  I'lowman,"  whcrf  Lantrlaml  concfivo  that  all  tin- 
jM-'iipl*  of  the  r»-aliii  coiihl  l.c  ^.-athcrnl  into  a  -luaU-  incailow 
to  hfur  his  ivhukt-s  ami  t\li(irtatioiis.     Hi,  iniai;iiiatioii  will 
not  appt-ar  at  fault   if  wi-  rciall  that   the  entirr  interval  of 
fonr  huinirml  years  lietwetn   WyclillV  ami   Wesley   was  re- 
quirwl  to  rfjH'ople  Kn;;laml  upon  the  siale  of  the  early  four- 
teenth wutury.     In  other  uonls.  the  Kii^rlanil  of  (leotKe  I 
vnxt.  no  larjrer  in   nuinhers  than   that   of  Ivlwanl    II.     Still 
iiiurr  sijBiiiiicantly,  the  realm  over  uliidi  lleiirx   \'II  rei;;iie.l 
u-«s  lunthtT  as.  fiilij;htene.|  nor  as  liMinaiie  as  that  of  KdwanI 
1 ;    by  the  time  the  first  of  the  'i'mlors  nniteil  the  houses  of 
J-«iica.ste.r  ami  Vork  in  his  ma-riaire.  re|»eate(|  wars  ami  their 
accDinpaniuMfnts  lia^l  worked  their  wicked  will  on  the  nation. 
'iTie  stniiiK  Hii'l   Hteadv    pro;,'ress  of   national   eopsolidatioii 
(UiririR   tht-    twelfth    and    thirteenth    centuries    received    an 
ofViH;tual  rheek  in  WyclilVe's  da.\ .  the  worst  disaster,  that  of 
the  pestiieui-e,  ilescendinj;   upon  a  country  already  sta};j;er- 
iii^'   Imiieath   tin-   l.urden.   of    ,i    protracted   and    indecisive 
c'oiifiict,  a  luxurious  and   licentious  court,  ami  a  turhulent 
iiol)ility.  : 

\et  the  alm4)st  uni\frsal  visitation  did  not  morally  chas- 
ten its  survivors,  who  manifested  a  siojid  imlitl'ercnce  to 
tlieir  miserable  surroundiiiLrs,  and  in  many  instances  j;a\e 
way  to  the  lowest  passions.  .\ltlinui,'li  commerce  fared 
l)etter    than    some    have    supposed,    the   n\frthrow    of   c,- 


'• 


I       ' 

n 


ri 


h 

'i  ■ 


'  n.  Mils.  cott.  M.  >.,  \ii,-ii 

'Tlu'  Ulack  DtMlli"  :    ].    Is7 


\,    \\.   fnl.   .-,|-..   ,|I1m!,.,1    i, 


:irilili,ll  (;.i-i|Ucl 


( T 


l.'iO   THRKK  KKLKilOrs  LKADKRS  OF  OXFORD 

tiihlislied  coiulitions  was  so  sovt-n-  that  not  orilv  the  mon- 
iist.Tiis,   l)ut    also    th.-    riMvcrsitiVs.    the    system    of   land 
tenure,  the  political   machinery,  the  art  ami  architecture 
of  Knjiland,  alike  felt  the  cataclysmic  shock.     The  working 
classes,  however,  were  the  chief  sutlerers,  ami  their  dimiuu- 
tion  l)ronKht  about  a  complete  social  chanjje  which  ramified 
Iroiii  tile  bottom  upwards.     The  selective  processes  of  the 
I'laKue  introduced  a  new  scale  of  life  and  numn.Ts,  and  so 
modiHed  or  revolutionize.!  the  agrarian  situation  that  there 
IS  hardly  a  modern  .'conomic  i)rol)lem  that  cannot  he  traced 
to  them.     The  study  of  these  etlVcts  veriHes  two  conclusions : 
first,  that  not  all  were  injurious,  and  second,  that  they  were 
met  and  borne  with  :>  rckless  c..ura>re  which  did  much  to 
relieve  the  gravity  of  th.-  situation.     Medieval  KuKhuid  was 
disgraced  by  transgressions,  but  she  was  also  disciplined  by 
hardships  whicii,  bitter  tiioujrh  tney  were,  could  not  of)liter- 
ate    the   color,  the    variety,  nor   tiie  joy  of  her  life.     The 
twentieth  century  peasant  knows  no  such  zest  and  gaiety  as 
blessed  his  ancestors,  who,  though  they  lacked  facilities  for 
prompt  material  recovery  from  the  ravages  of  the  scourge 
were  not  hampered  by  the  fear  and  disillusionment  which  too 
often  sadden  the  prospect  of  tlu-  modern  lal)orer.     All  who 
outrode  the  st(.rm   had   shan-d  a  common   peril,  and   the 
frecpiency  with  which  ti.ey  ha.l  looked  on  death  made  them 
despise  ,t.     Meanwhile  the  present  moment  was  their  own 
an.l    they   built    again   the    world    they    knew,   un.launti-d 
by  difficulty   or   danger.     \    fatalistic  tinge   in   their  out- 
look  taught  them   that  what    had   perished    had   fHTished 
and  n<.  tune  was  to  be  wasted  in  vain  regrets.     In  Kurope 
great  names  arose  out  of  the  .larkness.  St.  Hoch.  St    (Cath- 
erine, l',.trar.li,  an.l  (ini  de  ('hauliac.     The  era'  bent.  I)ut 
di.l  not  break  ;   it  was  still  sufficiently  resilient  to  rea.ssert  its 
vitality  an.l  guar.l  the  g.-rminal  growth   of   frwdom  and 
justice. 

If  constitutional   progress  was  retar.led   it  was  at  least 
preserve.1.     Tlu-  national  consciousness  solidifiwl  under  ad- 


JOHN    WVCLIFFK 


137 


Nersit.v    aiul   was  st.ll  nsn.tful  ..f  r,.n.i«„  .LVtation.     The 
men  who  he  u.e.    with  Wy.litle  that  the  safc.tv  an.i  well- 

the  Holy  Nee  w.re  patnots.     |5„t  ,,atri,„i.s,„  was  n„t  von- 
fined  t<,  „ne  sect  or  fa.tio,, ;   i,  I,,,,.,,,,,  a  e.ms.ions  passion 
m  all  hearts.     Loveof  .-onntry  thn.hs  i„  the  verse  of  Cha.Krr 
than  whom  no  poet  was  ever  n.ore  intensc.|y  Kn^riish  in  his 
cWter  an.l  sy„.pathies.     The  nine  an.l  twenty  pilgrims 

It".,"  T "  ^""'  "■•"""""•^■-  ^*"'"'"'^'  «'--'v 

S      .    "'  "TV  '"'^■'^«'-""'"'  "♦■  i''*-'--  ti"u-.     Ills  ininn-tal>Ie 
lescnpt.,»ns  of  the  ,„en  an.l  .nanners  of  his  native  lan.l  rna.ie 
C  haneer  ,ts  prenner  poet.     Soei.-t.x-  was  still  eon.paratiNely 
so  snnple  that  Ins  narrative  was  al.le  to  e.nl.raee  n.ost  of  the 
types  that  ha.l   snrvive.l   the   I'la^^.e.     Wandering  l.v  the 
way  heeame  the  favorite  pursuit  of  all  classes.     I'll^rin^s  an.l 
traveh.rs  were  everywlu-r,-  al.n.a.l.  exnltin,^  in  the  free,l.,m 
of  the  kn.K  s  h.«hway.  an.l  prc-sentin,^  at  ..n...  the  unity  an.l 
the  .hversity  .,t  nn-.heval  life.     The  p...||ar  an.l  the  par.i.,ner, 
he  meruKant  an.l  tlu-  ..utiaw.  the  ,i„«.|er  an.l  the  «leeman 
the  flaHlant  an.l  the  s.,l,lier,  i.,urn..ye.l  .-luvk  l.v  j.,wl   east^ 
inK  a.l„nnnK  or  envious  ,.y,.s  upo„  the  .aval.a.l.'-s  ,.f  r,>valtv 
and  gentry  ruhng  past.     K,.i.I„.  an.l  l,ar..ns  .-nfrtaine.!  .,n"e 
another  n,  .-astl..  an.l  n.anors.  an.l  ,.ount...l  hospitality  a 

frequente,!  the  I.ett.T  .lass  of  h..stelries ;  the  alelu.uses  and 
meaner  nn.s  w,.re  cn.w.le.l  with  f.,r.-st.Ts  an.l  lal..,rers  The 
roads.  g,HHl  ..r  l>a.l.  were  the  arteri..s  .,f  tra.l...  an.l  every  hall 
or  hut  a  me.  nnn  f.,r  news.  Th.Te  the  n.,l,l,-s  met  in  nid.tlv 
eonelaye:  the  "p.,or  priests"  kept  a^I.-w  th.-  flanu-  .,f  a 
pu  er  fa.th;  the  fnars  fawn...l  ..r  thr.-atene.l ;  an.l  the  .serfs 
and  umlerhnRs  .lel,at.-,l  their  wn-nirs.  whi,!,  were  s„  .n.en.lur- 
al.le  that  at  last  they  assunu..l  .|...■isi^,.  shape  in  the  most 
.sp.mtane„u.s  upn.sing  of  tlu-  lalu.rin;;  f.,lk  that  ever  took  plaee 
in  hngland.'  ' 

'G.M.Trevclyau:  "EnKland  in  lli,"  A«,.  „f  \Vy,  lilTo"  ;  p.  1. 


ii: 


■i 


''  \\l 


138 


TlfUKK    KKLKilOUS    LKADKKS   OF   OXKOUD 


li    i 


ii    I 


;  i 


II 

Duriiif;  the  two  years  jjreccdiiif;  tlie    IVasaiits'   Revolt   in 
tlie  spriii;:  of  i;>Sl  Wyclitie  remained  in  comparative  retire- 
ment at   Lutterworth.     The  (Jreat  Schism  was  the  crucial 
IM.int  in  liis  pul>li<'  life,  when  he  hecame  to  all  intents  and 
|)uri)oses  a  IVotestant.     While  he  was  still  husy  heratiuf;  the 
popes,  sometimes  unjustly,  as  in  the  case  of  (Jre^ory  XI,  and 
airain  for  reasons  which  almost  excu.sed  the  virulence  of  his 
lan<,'iiaf;e,  the    social    outhreak   occurred  which  forever  de- 
stroyed  his  hopes  of  any  improvement  l)y  means  of  State 
int.rference.     1  )urinK  one  month  the  volcam'c  hut  mercifully 
hrief  terror  put  half  'he  realm  in  arms;    for  some  days  the 
existence  of  the  j;o\crnnient  was  imperilled  l>y  the  elforts 
of  the  peasants  to  aven-e  their  injuries.     The  causes  of  their 
rehcllion  were  hotli  near  and  remote;  they  extended  far  into 
the  past,  an<l  w<re  too  complicated  for  i)rolon;;ed  examination 
here.     One  third  of  tiie  working'  population  had  perished  in 
the  I'lafTue,  and,  as  already  stated,  this  ahiiormal  depletion 
disorganized  a,:;rarian   and  commercial  relations.     The  sur- 
vivors were  det<'rmined  to  jr,.t  rid  of  oppressive  ii--t'^vs  and 
secure  hi>;her  wa^es.     The  lords  were  ecpially   resolved  to 
|)revent  free  com|)etition  in  Iai)or  and  to  tighten  their  hold 
on  the  >ituation  witii  honds  of  their  own  choosing.     Stripes 
and  lirandings  were  inflicted  on  stuhhorn  otlVnders.     Repres- 
sive   lcgi^lation   hcgot    a   reckless   lawlessness    among   those 
whom  it   atiectcd.      In   London  and  other   cities  the   guilds 
were  agitated  l)y  internal  difliculties  |)eculiarto  themselves. 
The  >triiig<'nt  i)rovi>ion>  of  some  charters  granted  to  towns 
In    -i)iritual  lord>  and  al)l)ots  added   to  the  friction.     The 
l)oll  tux  of  one  shilling  a  head  on  every  adult  i)erson  in  the 
lan.l  whi(  h  had  been  voted  liy  the  Nottingham  I'arliament 
of  l:;.S()  was  the  final  au'gravation  in  a  (piarrel  that  had  lasteil 
for  more  than  thirtv  yc  ars.     Then  came  the  terrific  explosion, 
a-toni-hiiig  the  court  and  the  iinhles,  stu|>cfying  the  clergy, 
and    l)ewildcring   the    administration.      But    the    source   of 


'     t 


JOHN    WVCLIKKK 


139 


swell  ail  orjiiii'.ized  resistance  lay  even  deeper  than  civic 
and  economic  causes.  Knirlaiid  was  Ixsotted  liy  tlie  Inst  of 
militarism,  and  .IcKenerated  l.y  the  vices  that"  followed  in 
the  train  of  the  French  wars.  Impoverished,  weakened, 
betrayed,  the  naticm  ^rew  (h-si)erate,  and  distrustful  of  its 
hereditary  leaders.  It  is  hut  just  to  observe  that  tli(> 
yomifr  k'iWji  Richard  II  an<l  his  murdered  ministers.  Arch- 
bishop Su.lbury  an.l  .Sir  Kich.-.nl  Hales,  were  i...t  alt.'.f^ether 
culpable  for  an  anarchy  «hi<h  they  did  not  create  and 
could  not  control.     The  line  of  Horace. 

"  Xiit  Hi-iivfti  itM'lf  ii|><>ii  the  j)aM  lijith  power," 

could' be  appropriately  applied  to  many  troubles  and  ob- 
.staeles  that  threatened  the  new  rei-n.  John  of  daunt,  who 
had  been  identified  with  the  <-normities  <.f  his  father's  court, 
was  the  first  man  the  insiirfrents  siiij^kMl  ,„it  for  punishm<-ut.' 
He  was  absent  in  Kdinbiir<;h  when  they  broke  hu.se,  or  he 
would  have  shared  the  fateof  Su.lbury  and  Hales;  as  it  was, 
his  I'alace  on  the  Strand,  stored  with  the  richest  treasures 
of  foreifiu  spt.il,  went  up  in  flames.  Th,.  insurrection  de- 
feated his  policies,  the  diseiidowiiient  of  the  Church  was 
postponed  to  the  time  of  an  cfpially  rai)acious  an.l  more 
jx.werful  prince,  an.l  the  Duke's  infhien.e  as  a  publlcisi  sus- 
tained irreparable  injury. 

The  immcliate  results  were  a  call..us  nio.kerv  of  the  fine 
promises  an.l  unc..nHrme.l  charters  which  Hichanl  rea.lily 
Kiive  to  iu.luce  the  r.'bels  t..  return  to  their  h..mes.  His 
advisers  knew  that  parliamentary  action  was  ue.rssarv  to 
re<leem  these  ple.l>:es.  an.l  als..  tliat  it  w..ul.l  be  imp.)ssib|e 
to  secure  any  such  .•.msent.  Wat  Tyl.-r  was  killed  at  Smith- 
fiel.l  in  the  presen.e  ..f  th.-  kin-::  J.,hn  Mall,  a  forerunner  of 
mo.lern  ref..rm,  to^reth.-r  with  th..u>an.l.s  „f  l,is  .lisciples  pai.l 
tcT  their  untimely  eMorts  with  tli.'ir  lis e>.  \\,r  the  moment 
"ruler  the  presMire  of  a  univ.-rsal  .lanp-r.  the  re-ulars  an.l 
seculars  tor^;...  their  .•nmiti.'s.  an.l  th.-  bishops  ma.le  pe;.ce 
with  the  friars.     Cluirch  an.l  State  unite.l   in  the  task  of 


i 


'      i 


Hi 


l!  ' 


1    ; 


1 


140      TilUKli    KIOLICIOUS   LEADKUS   OF   OXFORD 

torturiiiR  and  liaiijjiiiK  tlu-ir  victims,  many  of  whom  were 
fxetiittd  witlioiit  process  of  law.  XoMis  returned  to  their 
castles  from  their  hidinj;  places  in  the  woods,  and  resumed 
their  former  practices.  The  exhausted  passions  of  the  de- 
featiHJ  and  hunte<l  peasantry  left  tiiem  helpless,  an<I  the  nation 
.sank  hack  into  apathy  and  ne^'leet.  The  proletariat  forgot 
that  sj)asm  of  outraj;ed  self-respect  which  had  caught  the 
haroiis  ()fl'  their  >;uard.  Chaucer's  >;lad  morning  .song,  so 
surprising  in  tlii.  dark  epoch,  waited  long  for  its  antiphony  in 

"Those  nicliMlioiis  hursts  tliat  fill 
The  spjuious  tinu's  of  jn-eat  Klizabeth 
With  sounils  that  I'cho  still." 

.^erfage  revived,  despite  the  l)rave  attempt  to  do  away  with 
its  ahominations.  Yet  the  heneficiaries  of  feudalism  had 
received  a  wholesonie  lesson,  not  the  less  im|)ressive  because 
unaccompanied  hy  the  nameless  horrors  of  the  Jaccpierie  in 
France.  It  taught  the  proud,  self-sufficient  aristocrat  to 
beware  of  his  underlings,  and  he  at  least  understood  that 
fearful  i)ossibilities  were  lodi;c(l  in  men  he  had  hitherto  de- 
spiseil.  He  moved  more  cautiously  among  his  dwindling 
claims ;  the  system  of  \  illeinage  ft-ebly  lingered  on  and  came 
to  an  almost  im()i)served  end  in  the  days  of  tii"  Tudors. 

Wyclitl'e  did  not  escape  without  charges  of  implication  in 
these  movements;  his  enemies  averred  that  he  luu'  been  "a 
sower  of  strife,  who  by  his  serpent-like  instigations  had  set 
his  serf  against  his  lord."  .Notwithstanding  the  dying  etm- 
fi-ssions  of  J,.liii  Hall  and  Jack  Straw,  which  involved  him, 
there  is  no  proof  of  the  truth  of  their  accusations.'  He  had' 
little  appreciable  influence  ui)ori  the  purely  secular  aims  of 
the  insurgents,  who  were  J)ent  on  deliverance  from  i)ractical 
grievances  in  which  spiritual  affairs  played  no  part.'-  I'ni- 
versity  doctors  v  ere  not  found  among  them,  and  John  Hall's 

'W..  luv.r  M,,ihir,^  ,.f  thrs..  r„nf..sM..„s  until  Iwonty  years  afterward. 
liw.N  arc  not  loiiii,!  n,  :,„,\  .•,,„ti.iii|,„rary  chroiiicU-,  uiiU  were  probably 
exIurtiMl  liy  the  rack. 

«<■.  Oman:    •Tlir  Croat  Uolx'lliiin  of  l.isl"  :    p.  27. 


JOHN-    WVCUFFK 


141 


T^  1-u     "*  ""■  '"'""'^^  '""'  -mmenced  while 

U.Nd.tte  was  st.ll  an   nM.i.T^ra.luat,.  at  ()xf„r,|.     Hut  Lis 
sw..-p.„j,  .Kvlaration  tl.at  ".v.-ry  ri«l.tn,„s  ,„an  is  lord..  " 
he  whole  sc„s,l>k.  world  "  ......Id  ..asil,  Ik-  distorted  l,v  i,n,     . 

■s.  eorators  who  pa,d  no  re^ar.l  to  tlu-  refine.l  snhtleti.-s  with 

desert  the  perse.nted  patriots  n.  tluir  enKT^'enev.  Thev  had 
no  eoneepfon  of  the  eonnnuni.n,  whi.I.  was'latent  in  " 
theories  h„t  he  openly  avowe.|  hi.  syn.pathv  with  tl 
deman  for  .nd.vK  ual  freedon,  and  his  an.'r  at'their  op,;:;. 
Mon  He  stood  ahme  m  ins  ,, lea  for  .len.encv,  an.l  l.v  this 
unselhsh  attitude  still  fnrther  separate.l  hiniself  fro„,  1  " 
rulu.K  powers  and  the  nol.les.  and  was  eondenn.ed  to  ^^ 
mea     unpotenee.     His    consistent    .-on-luet    furnished  'n 

.rcnn.stanees  dnnnj;  th,-  sixteenth  .entury.  The  Zwin^dian 
heresies,  the  IJ.su.k  ,.f  the  Anahaptis.s.  an.l  the  I'easants^N^; 
of  hat  era  were  the  lo«u.al  ont.o.n,.  of  Luther's  theorv  of  the 
nght  of  private  judgment  and  .lissent.  This  theorv  had 
serve,!  hi.„  well  „,  the  severan.e  of  his  allegiance  from  ifonu-. 
^et  ulien  others  use.l  it  for  their  own  purposes  he  seee.led 
from  the  people  to  the  prin.es.  ...niplaiuin,.  h.udiv  of  the 
preaehers  of  l.lood  and  treason  whom  the  devil  inspired  to  seek 
his  destruetu.n,  an.l  impressing:  upon  his  f.,ll.,u,.rs  the  neces- 

of  h,s  He..rmation  was  quiekly  al.an.L.ne.l.  while  he  took 
refuse  in  the  arms  ol  the  eivil  power,  an.l  purchase.!  the  safetv 
of  his  doetrme  l,y  the  sacTific..  of  its  fpc.e.lom  ' 

^.tiadih    refused   to  surren.ler   his  .■..nvi.tioi.s  or  he  si|.,,t 

cut  off  from  all  hut  a  small  minority  of  his  suj.porters.  an.l  the 

UJ^^tunate  c...wH.i.h.,..e  ..f  his  pn.t..t  a,ainst'tl....n.i:w„,.^^ 
of  the  (  hureh  and  tlu-  pretensions  ..f  clerical  power  with  the 
insurrcctmn  of  the-  peasants  ^ave  Courtenay  an  opportunity 

'LordActou:    " Essay,  on  Lil„.rly- :    ,,,,.  l,-,,V-].-,(;. 


!  ,!1, 


m 


11 


|i^ 


1r 


II 


!'] 


142      TIIKKK    KKLK'.lors    l.KADKHS   OK   OXFORD 


',      t 


to  siip|)rt's>  n])ini<iiis  wliitli  lie  lu-licxcd  were  rt'sp<)ii.-il)Io  for 
tlic  (Itiitli  of  Iii>  pridfcc^nr.  Arcliliisliop  Siidlmry.  Wyc- 
liliV,  >(»  t'iir  from  Itcirij;  aluolicd  l>y  the  coiiiifctioii  of  his 
opitiinris  with  these  liepreihitions.  reaflirmed  his  position  on 
(|nestioii>  of  ctiiitroxersv .  He  (h-iiied  'rninsnhstaMtiation 
afresh,  after  lia\  iii^'  ai)peah'd  to  tlie  kinj;  in  V.iSl  for  secuhir 
helj)  in  a  |)urely  tlieolojrical  issne.  In  reply  to  (iauiit's 
earnest  re(|ne>t  that  he  -^lionld  rest  his  case,  he  iiieinorialized 
I'arliatnent  in  loSJ  with  a  lenjithy  petition,  wherein  he 
recited  a  list  of  «,Tiev,iiices  and  asked  that  the  Statutes  of 
I'rovisors  and  IVa'niiniire  lie  enforced  aj;ainst  the  Tope, 
above  all  uri;in<:  that  '•('hristV  teaeliinjj  eoiicernin},'  the 
Kucliarist  may  Ite  openly  taiij;lit  in  churches," 

The  Arclii)is!iop  retaliat<'d  l)y  convenint;  the  "  Karthquake 
("ouncil"  on  May  L'l  of  that  year  at  tiie  House  of  the  HIaek 
Friars  in  London.  The  asseinhly  derive<i  its  name  from  the 
occurrence  of  a  seismic  disturbance  dnrin;;  its  i)roceeiliiij,'s. 
This  was  construed  l)y  the  Wycliffians  as  a  sipi  of  Ileaven'.s 
wrath  apiinst  the  hij;her  cler<ry,  and  hy  the  prelates  as  a 
token  of  its  ai)i)roval  of  their  efforts  to  expel  heterodoxy 
from  the  i)osom  of  the  (  hurch.  Of  the  twenty-four  Articles 
examined  ten  were  i)ronounced  heretical,  and  fourteen  errone- 
ous. The  Council,  in  condemning'  the  Keforiuer's  doctrines, 
also  struck  at  the  Iniversity  which  had  nurtured  them. 
Courteuay  and  the  rei;iilars,  aided  hy  Richard  II,  won  the 
fij;ht  ajiainst  the  doctors  and  students  who  prized  religious 
and  intellectual  freedom.  Dr.  Iti^'g,  the  Chancellor,  who 
had  hitherto  favored  Wyclille,  was  summcmed  to  Lamheth 
and  warned  i)y  the  bishops  and  the  Privy  Council  that  his 
support  of  the  i.ollard  Uepyn<;dou  as  ajiainst  Stokes  must 
eease,  the  disiifected  he  subdued,  and  concord  restored. 
The  seculars  who  had  exhorted  the  Tniversity  authorities 
to  ex|)el  all  friars  and  monks  were  themselves  excluded. 
A  Convocation  for  the  su])pression  of  heresy  met  at  O.xfonl ; 
the  royal  writ  ordered  a  monthly  incpiisition  u|)on  the  fol- 
lowers and  the  works  of  WycLlfe,  and  within  half  a  year  the 


JOHN    WVCLIFFE 


143 


second  school  of  tlu^  ('atl...Ii..  Clmnh  wns  rrcov«Tcd  to 
orthodoxy  at  tlic  t.x,K.„>..  „f  her  a.adcinir  stan.iiiiK  in 
Kurope.     The  iiu|,.isitors  ma.l,-  a  dcs..h.ti<.ii  aii.l  called  it 

peace,  and  Courtcnay  unwittingly  iu'caini ■  of  the  Krcat.st 

enemies  to  Oxford's  reputation  for  scholarship  >hc  has  cmt 
known.  The  Iniversity  sank  into  stup..r  and  decline- 
speculation  was  throttled;  Canihrid-e  was  regarded  hy 
cautious  parents  as  the  pl.i.e  unv..xed  l,v  reactionary 
ecclesiasticisni.  and  I'aris  repiined  the  intell.'ctual  eniinencV 
Oxford  had  so  loiifr  , disputed.  Thus  the  later  nie.lieval 
peri(Kl  of  the  rniversity's  leadership  en.hd  with  Wvclifle; 
Courtcnay  could  lu.t  cope  with  the  vi;;onm>  dialectic  of  the 
last  of  the  Schoolmen,  hut  he  couhl  an.i  he  did  unreservedly 
<lcstroy  Oxford's  .-apacity  to  produce  another  like  him 

Cast  down,  l)ut  not  dismayed,  WyclitlV  was  now  hcvond 
the  pale  of  the  Church  and  of  the  Schools.  Yet  he  was  of  that 
tyi)e  of  men  who  hope, 

".\ii(l  SCO  tlu'ir  lioi>o  frustrate, 
Anil  li()|H'  anew." 

He  was  enough  of  the  ascetic  to  despise  the  lures  of  the  world  • 
of  the  man  of  affairs  to  know  the  .leceptions  of  poliJcal  stnfe  •' 
of  the  saint  to  repird  that  which  he  held  as  truth  as  nior.   im- 
portant than  place  or  power.     The  material  side  .)f  life  uas 
for  him  reduced  to  a  mininnmi,  and,  althou-h  amhitioiis,  he 
desired  no  influence  which  rapiired  him  to  suhject  his  con- 
science  to    the   incitements   of   temporary   convenience    or 
success.      Ilis  last  days  at  Lutterworth  w.tc  spent  in  appeals 
to  the  people  at  lar^e,  in  which  his  further  sc-paration  from 
sacerdotalism   was  e\  ident   in   the  unwise  declaration  that 
preaching  is  of  more  value  than  the  administrati..u  of  any 
sacrament.     He  forsook  learned  <!erks  an.l  titled  supporters 
for  the  weavers  and  artisan,  of  .\orwich  and  Leicest.-r,  and 
devoted  the  remainder  of  lii>  life  to  its  most  notable  achieve- 
ment, the  translation  of  the   Holy  .Sripture^.      Ilcnry  of 
Knighton,  a  canon  of  Leicester  duriii-  the  second  half  of 


i!?l 


m 


}  ff 


!     1 


i 


1 


I! 


144      TIIKKK    KFI.KIIOl  s    l.i; ADKUs   OK    (tXKOUI) 

tile  fnlirt.rlilli  crtltlin,  ;nii|  ii  ti.T.-.'  liatcP  nf  till-  Lollards, 
<'.iini)lain.'(|  that  W.vrlitlV,  adion  in  traii>latiii>j  the  Scri|K 
tiirr.  ••uhirli  CJiriM  -a\f  t..  tl.r  cicruy  iiii.l  doctors  of  the 
Cliunir"  hail  -(att.rcl  al>roa<l  tlir  pearls  of  the  (;os|h-I  to 
»>»•••  trodd.'M  uiid.T  foot  l.\  Msiiif';  ■•tlicjfwoj  of  dories  was 
turned  to  tiie  -port  of  tlie  laity."  ' 

'riie  Ueforiiier-  jjpev  inii>  iii>i>teiiic  upon  the  supremacy 
of  the  Sa(  r.d  WritiiiK^  Iwid  ol.taiiie.I  for  him,  while  still  at 
Oxfonl.  the  title  of  "|)octor  Kx an;;cli(iis."  In  his  attack 
upon  d.)t;niati>ni  or  in  defense  of  hi.,  own  coiieliisioiis,  he 
iiiihcsitatin^'ly  iiM'd  (pi..tation>  fn.ni  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments  a>  linal  pnx.fs.  setting  aside  the  weightiest 
tradition-,  in  tlieir  I.ehalf.  "Neither  the  testiimuiy  of  Au- 
gustine iior  .IiToin<',  nor  any  other  saint,  should  he  accepted 
<'xeept  in  so  far  as  it  was  l)a>ed  upon  Scripture,"  and  to 
this  he  added  the  a^MTtion  that  every  man  had  tiie  rif;lit  to 
examine  tlie  Mil>Ie  for  liimself. 

'i'hc  (piotation  from  Kni.uliton  contains  the  substance  of 
similar  anima<lversions  au'airist  WyclilVe's  enterprise,  which, 
nevertliclexs,  was  justified  Ity  the  example  of  primitive  ( "hris- 
tuinity.  I-'or  the  rijiht  of  reli;.'ious  in<le|)eudonce  must  have 
l)cen  tacitly  assumed  l.y  the  early  Christians  to  justify  their 
position,  and  the  pnl)licity  of  the  Hehrew  Scriptures  was 
presupposed  in  the  works  of  the  apo!o<;ists  of  the  second  cen- 
tury. Kx  en  so  late  as  tlie  fourth  century  no  di};nitary  of  the 
<'hur<h  ilreamt  of  forhiddinj;  the  reading  and  interpretation 
of  the  Bilile  l.y  he  laity.  On  the  contrary,  ()rij;en  held  that 
it  was  the  purpose  of  the  Holy  S|)irit  in  the  Scriptures  to  he 
intelli^'ihle  to  those  who  were  miediicated  and  insignificant 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  Theodoret,  who  shared  the  current 
t  resumption  that  the  Scriptures  needed  defi-nse  as  literature, 
in  a  hurst  of  elo(|nenee  turned  this  lack  to  >;ain,  decIarinK 
that  "all  the  heralds  of  the  truth,  to  wit  the  Prophets  and 
Apo.stles,  tliou;;h  unendowed  with  the  (Jreek  -.'ift  of  elocjuenee, 

'  .\t  tliiil  tirm-  Kiiii;lii..i,  wm-  .!im.|.       TIh'  :iut!iiir  wlms.-  rcconls  nn:  <juotc-d 
hi'ru  is  known  ;ia  his  "Conliniiaior." 


JOHN    WVCMKFK 


14.j 


were  yet  Hllcd  with  triu-  wixloni.  hroiiKlit  ti.  iill  tuition^  liotli 
Fh'lli-iiic  and  Hiirlmriaii  tlir  .li\iiif  doctriiic.  and  filled  all 
lands  an<l  seas  witli  their  uritiin:>,  wIk.m-  luntcnt  is  \irtnc 

and  piety.     And  now  all  men  having;  re niced  the  lollies 

of  the  philosophers,  feast  npmi  the  doctrine^  (.f  lidiernien 
and  puhlieans  and  reverence  the  words  cf  the  Tent-maker."  ' 
Chrysostom  recommended  that  the  muIu  of  the  Mihie  ^lionld 
l>f  so  familiar  to  <  hildren  as  t(.  form  a  nc( osiry  part  of  their 
home  scenery,  and  poetically  remarked  that  "the  very  touch 
of  the  IJook  of  the  CospeK  of  itself  awaken,  the  heart."  ' 
Had  these  coimsels  heen  hee<led  in  after  time>,  the  false  ,tep 
taken  hy  the  Cluirch  when  die  l.e^'i,n  to  withdraw  the  Scrij*- 
tiires  from  the  laity  and  place  them  in  the  (  ustody  of  cccle- 
.sia.stical  tradition  mi;;lit  ha\e  heen  avoided.  Nor  ci.uld 
the  nneheeked  sacerdotalism  that  tiisuid  lia\e  escape<l  the 
restrictions  imposed  hy  a  hi'tter  accpiaintance  with  the 
Hible. 

The  entire  Old  Testament  ami  the  j;reater  part  of  the  .\ew 
were  translated  into  the  iVenc  h  lariKua;;.-  hefore  the  middle 
of  the  fourteenth  century.     Kn-land  was  not  so  fortunate: 
the  An^'lo-Saxon  versions,  some  manus,  ripts  of  which  are 
as  late  as  the  twelfth   century,  had   hecome  unintclli-ihle 
hy  WyeliH'e's  time,  with  the  re>ult  that.  althou;;h  tlw  HiMe 
was  fairly  well  known  ainoiiM;  the  cler;;y  and  superior  lay- 
men, the  masses  were  utterlv    ii.Miorant  of  it,  and  had   no 
means  of  heinj;  otherwise.     .\nj,'lo-.\orman    was   then    the 
speech    of  the   schools,    the  c(.lle-e>.  the  courts  of  law,  and 
polite  .society.     Kn^lish  prevaih'd  ainon-  the  liumi.hT  cla-c> 
and  the  tillers  (.f  the  soil.     It  i>  not  certain  that  Kdward  HI 
could  address  the  Conunons  in  the  \ui;rar  tontiue,  as  Ilcnrx 
I\  took  pains  to  <lo  when  he  appeared  before  them  to  cjidm 
the   throne.     V.^t    hy    the    end    of  the   fourteenth    centiirv, 
Frnieh   had   hecome  a   Mckly  c\.,ti,-  and    Kn.ulish   had   suJh 
F)lanted  it  as  the  official  lani,'Uaf:c,  first   in  tiic  courts,  an.l 

'   Hariiack  :     "  Hibli'   lirailuiu'  Ul  tlii>   IvuKCIiurcIl"       I,    'HI 

=  ihi.t.. ,,.  nu.  •  1      • 

J. 


;.»H 


14G 


TIIKKH    KCI.KJIOLS    MOADKUS  OK   OXFORD 


latiT  II.   I'arliMMunt.     A  .l„.fnr  ..f  Invs  .•onfcssol  in   110} 
"Wr  lirr  i.s  iK.i..r.i.,r  of  |>,.„<li  „.  „f  Hc-lm-w."     J„|,„  ,u! 
Invis.  attrihut.'.!  its  s,„|,|,.„  .|is.|.|H-an.n(r  tc.  th.-  I'laKii,. 
I>iit  tlu-  .l.di,,,.  .•.nt.-.lMf.l  tl.is  ,v.i.t.an<l,.|,.s,,it,.  l.-«is|ativt.' 
•■tlnrf,  to  arr..>t  it.  ,l„.  „„•  of  |.V..n,.|i  >;ra.l,ially  .liniinishnl. 
It  may  l.av.-  mips  is.. I  in  I'arlia.n.-ntary  .Irlmtrs.  h.m.vrr.  for 
«.tty  y.-ar.  aft.T  Chan.rr  .  .I.atl..'     Tlu-  .tat.ifs  of  th.-  m.lm 
.•ont,nnr.|  to  1...  pnl.li^hr.l  in  rmirh  until  tlu-  n-i^n  of  Ih-nry 
Mil.     Oiu-  of   the  main   factors  wlii.li  .•ontril.utt-.|  to  tlie 
spnad   ot    K.,i;li,|,  was    tlu-   friars"   |>n-a.l,i„K    i„    that   lan- 
Ki.aKc-  tliron^^hont    tlu-  .-onhtry.  a    lial.it  whirl,   ^.k-s   far  to 
t-xplain  tluir  li.>|.|  „,,oi,  tlu-  iH-opI,-.     Aiu-tlur  fa,  tor  was  the 
important  ai.l  Chancr  n-.uh-n-.l  l,y  w,-Min«  tlu-  strength  of 
Loth    into   o,u-    sp(-t-,l.   ,linVr,-nt    fn.n.   .-itlu-r.    sniK-rior   in 
tlu-    richiu-ss   of    its    vocaln.lary  an.l   tlu-    simpli.itv  of    its 
stru.tnr,-,  aiul  whi.h  l..-.anu-  tlu-  lif,.  l,|„o.|  of  tlu-  ni-vv  nation- 
alism.    iTom  hi>  .lay  to  our  own  tlu-  .|,-v»-lopnu-nt  aiul  vx- 
pai.sion    of   Kn^jli.h    hav.-  p,.u-  st.-a.lilv    forward;    hut   the 
poet  s    arp-.t   s,-rvi,r   to  tlu-  mother  toiiKiu-  was  the  pn-f- 
ere.ue  he  awar,l,-.|   it  .Inrin^  a    l.ilin^-nal  ih-H.mI,  a  litemrv 
pre(-e.lent  which  later  writ.rs  were  <-onstrai..e.l  to  follow.    ' 
Ihis  transition  from  Fniuh  to  Knj;li>h  .l.-j.rive,i  the  ver- 
-SK.t.s  of  tlu-  Hil.le  in  tlu-  earlier  lanKiiap-  ..f  their  usefnlm-s. 
aiKl  an  attem,.t  was  ma.le  to  meet  the  n.-e.ls  of  the  situation 
l.y  partial  tran>Iations,  including'  the  I'salnis.  which  were 
ma.le  into  I-n^'li.h  in   l.'il'O  and   l.UO.     'I'he  first  of  these  is 
aserihed  doul.tfnlly  to  William  ..f  .Shoreham ;   the  seeon.i.  to 
m.-hanl  Hoile.  th,   hermit  of  IIampole.=     IJoth  men  used  the 
\  ulffate  as  a  l.asi>,  aiul  their  work  uas  provincial  in  dialect 

'  l'Mrlia„„.„t  was  fir.l  o,,,.,,,.,!  with  an  KnizU^h  s|hm-.-1,  i,.  I.l.i.i-    an.l  with 

uZa  ;;:'r>I;,::;:. "  '""'"■'•  ^'"'"""^"  ""'^  -"""' »—  -—ny  .-....- 


i 

i 


lOFrX    VVVCUFFK 

and  cirnilation.     Hut  t..  Wv.lillV  aixi  I 
task  biloiiKs  thf  crMlit  of  fir 
turt's  ill  tlicir    owi 


tils  ( 


•adjiit 


147 

:<»rs  III  th«' 


t  s«-ttiriK  f«>rtli  the  wliol,-  Scrip 


achi 


icvriiu'iit,  and  the  Hm  fruit-  of 
hn\f  t.)H  larxc  .xtnit  inoMcl  t| 


rxrcli,  an    iiidfscrifiiilily    iiicrit 


orioiis 
MTic>  of  vfr>ioiis  wliicli 


„  ,  „     ..  ,  "■""''"■»•  anil  (K'tiTiniiud  the 

^unsoofKnKl.    ..ivili.ation.     l>on.  tl...  literary  stanp" 

In  r  TT  ''"•"  r'^  •'  '•""»^"'"»'""  t<'  that  niov.: 
mvut  in  w  ,.<.|,.  as  w.  hav,-  smi.  Cl.an.rr  was  tlu-  .rntral 
hKuro.  and  l.,s  version  should  !.<.  .U.u.l  i„  that  n-lation  O 
nm-ssity  a  translation  of  su.h  intrinM,-  worth.  a,u|  on. 
whidi  so  ,.|os.Iya,r...-tod  tlu..piritnal  intcTcsts  a,  I  dc.i:  ^ 
tl..-  nat.<,n.  ...uild   not    hav.    Invn  wov.-n    into   its  life  and 

BtTvrr;;'''"''''  ^•'•"^'■''-"••''-  '-'■«»  to  ti..  ian«„;^ 

But    \,el.fre  was  not    a    Myli.,    i,.    U.e    larger   nieani'./of 

:  "!•  "•"'  ')"  "''.'^'"•'•^  rudimentary  c-ondition  of 
tht  la.iKUaKe  made  it  impo>Ml,le  to  pro.h,.^.  a  finished 
ren.  er,„«  .k.  that  of  the  translation  of'  „i, ,.  J,.,,;  . 
Autlior.od  Nersion  stand-  apart  fn.n,  all  others.  "Hnallv 
untouched  by  the  .plen.lor  ,f  Kli.al.e.han  and  tl.;  evtrava' 
Jfam^M,f  Jan,lH-an  pro-e."  an,|  marked  l.y  the  nol.le  si,„p|i,.itv 

of  ancient  times.     UydiliVs  ver-i wed  much  to  it  -^ 

revision    l,y   l„s  curat..    I'urvey.    who.   i,.   or  about    1   SS 

stitut«Ml  short  marpnal  <-omn.ents.  ,„any  of  whi.h  were  tak.-n 

Th"  i        "'";  u-  ''•:•"•  ^'"  ^'"'  '■^'■'"'-'^  «'•--  «'f  tl.e  t.. 

«a    his  chief  assistant  in  the  re„ditio„  of  the  Old  Totament 
to  Ik.  .scrupuhnisly  faithful  to  th-  Latin  of  the  Nulp.te  wa^ 
u-  si.nrcx.  o    the  ,H-dantrie>  and  ,  oseuriti..  which  an-  found 
>'  -lu-.r  work.     Others  boides   .Nicholas  and    i>urvcv  must 

nt  pi  cation  of  .■op,,...  pr  ...... |,.|  ...  r..,>i.iK.  t|,„  „f  ,|.,„„, 

hu  dre.l  and  s..ve„ry  ex-  ,n,  n.a, ripts  the  majoritv  were 

.ntten  w.tlun  forty  y.-ar-  aft.r  the  con.pletion  of  the'trans- 

Purvey's  version,  which  shonl.l  be  carefully  distinguished 


I 


1    1;-: 


lis      TIIKKi;    UKI.KiKH  .S    I.KADKUS   oK    <»\Ful(|) 

Irmii  \V\i  lill.  's.  wji,  (;i^rrl.\  -i.iikIiI  ;iui\  n-ml  l>_v  nil  wIi«mi.uI(I 
"l.i;iiii  it.  Tlu'  |iriiin><i|'  the  nis.ij  Ii()ii-,c  jiimI  thf  ><i\<r«'ijrii 
liiiii-tll  iliil  rmt  ili-il,'iiii  III  pii^Ms-,  it.  Nur  wa^  then-  anv 
li.riiifilc.iii<l«jiiiiatinri  i.ltln(ir-.t  limrli-li  Uil.lc.  Tlic  a»iiiii|i- 
fii.ii  iitMctariaii  writer,  that  tlir  iii.ilii\al  Clnircli  proliilMtfil 
(In-  iraii-laiinii  ami  (irriilatinii  i><  tin-  Scriptures  i-,  eimtra- 
iliiteil  \>\  (he  la  It  that  iiianiiMri|it-,  were  plentiful  l>i)tli  :ii 
iMiKliiiid  auil  nil  the  riiiitiiieiif .  AIiIihukIi  printing  v\a>  luit 
,\el  iineiiteil.  (iirnili.\  hail  lift.\  eoluplete  ami  M'\eiitV-t\Vo 
im  ipiiipli  te  \erHnii>.  Se\eiiteeh  printtil  ei|iti(Mi>  of  the  Mihie 
preeiile.l  the  ^reaf  vrrsii.ii  i.f  laither.  'I'he  JVeiieh  traii>la- 
ti<.ii>  e\teii-i\rl,\  iimiI  in  Kii;;l,iiul  ha\e  lieeii  naiiieii.  Arcli- 
hi-hop  Animlil,  the  l.iiriuT  i.f  liereties,  eoiiiiiieiiiled  (^lurii 
Anne  of  Hohtinia.  loii^irt  of  itichar.l  II,  for  ha vinj;  owned  in 
Knuli^h  "all  the  four  K"-|ieN  with  the  doctors  upon  them." 
\\\elil!'e'>  rcitiratdl  ap|)eaU  to  the  Mijiport  of  the  Scrip- 
lure>.  uttered  ion^  hi  |',,re  hi>  translation  was  made,  would 
have  no  ineaiiiiij;  for  a  clerical  l.odv  imae(|iiaiiited  with  them. 
Such  Were  the  principal  circumstances  connected  with  the 
tnemoralJe  ver-ion-  of  \\\(litlc  and  Purvey,  the  earliest 
reiiderin;.'  of  the  complete  Milile  iluKliind  |)o«.>essed  in  h»T 
ow  n  lan>;uM).'c.' 

Cardinal  (JaMput  "  ha^  advanced  the  theory  that  the  so- 
called  W.vclillV  trill- latioii  >>  rcalK  a  " Catholic  Hihh-,"  and 
some  extreme  Aiiulic.iiis  |ia\e  taught  this  siip|)ositioii.  lie 
emphasizes  the  fact  that  there  was  iiothinj:  in  Wyelitfe's 
writings  to  show  that  he  had  eithir  translated  or  attempted 
to  translate  the  Holy  .Sriptures.  While  this  is  true,  it 
should  also  he  noted  that  those  writiii;:s  are  full  of  passap's 
advocafiii^r  such  a  translation.  Mis  intimacy  with  the  Bihie 
had  lieen  one  of  the  t'oscrnin.i;  foncs  of  his  life,  and  his  >;n>w- 

'  I..r  Ux,li<T,-s  ,,,,.1    l'„r'..\s   Hihl,.  .....  tl„.  :„T,„int    in   th,.   prrfa.-..  |„ 

I  . .1-1., ill  .-.ii,!    .M:i.h|,.„  -  .■.jili,,,,. 

■Tlii-    .l,-.iii,Lni,-!i,..|    |,i,.|,i,.  .,,,,1    .,.||,,|,,r   „;,,   .•,|,,„,i„ic,|  in   I:t07    l,v  111.. 

'  ''"  '  "'  ''    '  '"■•  ^    l'r.-i'l.'i,i  ..f  ;,  (  ■..:.,ii,i--i..i,  f,,r  tl.,-r.-Msi ,f  t|„.  Viilmil.. 

I..  t,-i,,r..  II,  •,.  r,.:,,l>  ;,.  |..,-,l,|,..  I,,  ,|„.  ,,„,,.  ,.,„  „f  s,.  .|,.r„ii,|.:  :,  u.sk 
will,  ll  l>  11. .t   liki-l>    I,,  l„.  ,  .,.i,|,||.|,.,|    I,, I    iiiaiiy    vriirs. 


JOHN    WVCI.IKKK 


Hi) 


iiiK  M'risi-  of  i|(')N'iHl(ii(r  ii|Hiii  ii,   ,aiirti..ii  ..ii.ilh    <>l 
an  ahsuliitf  contrul   over  hi,  intcllcciiiiil   pn 
liKiull^  views.       It   iiUo  <li(  tat.il   I 


>taiii('( 


ii»»«'^  jiiiil  ri"- 


•  I.I 


H>lf  III) 


KtHii 


It   alMi  ilii  tatiil   Iii>  njiitiiiii  nf   the    wiiiT- 
I  Milniin  in\>tiiiMii  of  hi,  Clmrch,  a  ciHir-.o 


^^''''•''    f I    i'-  jii,ti(iiatii.ii  in   hi.   I„|i,.f  that    "thr   N 


otaiiiiiit  i>  full  iif  iiiithnrit^ 
•  |.l 


v\v 


ami   i.|Mri  to  tin-  uinltTstiiiiil- 
iiii|>lf  iiifii,  a,  ti.  the  jmiiit.  that  lir  nii.>t   iii'iilfiil  to 

itiidis 


.i>ati(.i    ■      l.,ihliT'>  ,iirmi,f  that   ihr  |Krilu.i>   ruml 

'    "■'■   '    M-il  a  priiilnit  -iirii.r   )!i  tl •  n->pi.n>il.lc 


"        >'■<>       <•    ■  '     iTtaklllK    I-    li'.t     rnt>\iiii'iliK:      M-i-rvry    iinil 

■"  '  '•  '  '•  "'     '  •'       "■'•'«"  til  \V\i!ill,\  ,|,;,raitiT,  anil  lir  hail 

'•''      —''■'I  iiH'n  whnijillirril  iVoni  him.     Mis  ci.uraj;*' 

'"       ''''      '■  "I'    ''"■   •'••t   |>ath>  «liiih    piiTiril    tin-    jiinnl.-   of 

'•  '  ■'   ^  ''  ''•'  I  I"'  thrii>t   hi>  «a.\    in  nrw  .lirfctii.n^,  ar- 

'    '    "    ■■'   !  I'v    oiiu'  wl«i..  althnn^'h  thr.v  hnknl  his  iiuilacity 
■ml  II.  li    ,1,  f,  xviTo  pri'iiarcil  ti.  hrl|)  hitn. 

■   .••■..V   r,   whik'  the  rlaini   that    \Vv,|illV  fran>hit.'il   tlir 
.11     ituiiiitril  to  him  i>  m.t   in\aliilat«il  l.y  arKiimciits 
<l»Tiv.-i|   fri.m   silfniv,   it-.  prul..,l.ility  i.  innfirninl   l.y   ci.ii- 
tfinpi.rary  cviili-mv.  ci.rn.l.nratin;;  thr  tiMiinnny  ,,f  knij;!i- 
ti.ii  alrt-aily  kIvi'M.     At  the  Sym.il  hrlil  ;,t  St.  l"'rii|.'Mviili's, 
Oxfi.nl,  on  .\uvnnl.(T  Js.  I  lo7,  ;,n  ,  Jiit  w.i,  pi,,M-i!  ailviTM- 
toany  vtTsii.n  of  S(riptiir.'tiNt>"  l.y  (|iii>tii.n.:lilflianils  with- 
out authoritative  sanetii.n."     The  jiroviMnn,  enaeteil  at  the 
Synoii  and  afterwards  promiilpited  at  St.   I'iiul>,  I,,,ndi.ii,' 
Kranteil  the  l.ishops  power  to  eontml  the  lirnilafion  of  th'- 
volume  without  positivily  proscriLin-  it.     .\r.  hl,i>hi,p  Arun- 
del and  his  sulfrajfans,  iidilre-in^'  l'n,Kj.,lin  Will  in  l»ll', 
aeeused  WyeliHV,  "the  ehild  of  the  old  .erpeiit  and  fosterling 
of  Antiehrist."  with  l-,\inj;  deviled,  in  order  to  (ill  up  th.- 
measure  of  his  malicr      ain-^t  the  (  hnnh.  tlu'  plan  of ;,  trans- 
lation of  the  Serij.tnrv     int..  hi.  niother  ton^'iie.     .fohn  IIus 
affirmed  in  a  polemical  ir.i.t  i-Mied  dnrin«  ill  1  :   '■  It  is  j.lain 
from  his  writings  that  \V\elitlV  u^s  nut  a  (iennan.  l.nt  an 
Kufrlishman  ;  for  the  Knj^li.h  ^.y  that  he  trandated  the  whole 

'  Tlic  il.itc  (if  Ihc.  |.r.Miu]|«.iliuii  is  mv.M.  a,  .hiiiii.iry   1  1.   1  10;|. 


I    I 


m 


!i   i 


150      THKEE    KEF.IGIOUS   LKADKUS  OF   OXFOUD 

Bihlt>  fniiii  Latin  into  KukIIsIi."  Those  and  other  quotations 
of  a  similar  character  ..npixirt  two  conclusions:  first,  that 
WyclillV's  reputed  work  wa>  actually  his  own;  and  again, 
that  it  exaped,  to  sdinc  extent,  the  inhibitions  of  the  eccle- 
siastics. 

('ardinal   (Jasquet's   further   contention   that   an   earlier 
Kii;;li>h  version  than  that  of  WyclitVe  existed  is  founded  on 
rcfutahle  statcinents.     Sir  Thomas  More,  who  is  his  authority 
for  (his  assertion,  remarked  in  his  "Dialogue"  that  iio  had 
seen  '  Hihjes  fair  and  old  written  in  English,  which  have  heen 
known  and  seen  l.y  tin-  hishop  of  the  dicxrse  and  left  in 
laymen's   hands  .  .  .  who    used    them    with    devotion    and 
soberness."     He  ad<led  that  the  "Holy  Hihie  was  long  l)ef(»re 
^^yclifl'e■s  <lay  Ity  virtuous  and  h-arncd  men  translated  into 
the  Kngli^h  tongue."  '     Since  More  did  not  know  Purvey 's 
version  wlicn  he  saw  it,  it  is  v«ry  probable  that  he  mistook 
that  versiun  for  an  earlier  work.     He  strongly  condemned  this 
transl.itioii  of  heretics  who  purfx-sely  corrupted  the  holy  text, 
as  he  airuscd  WyclillV  of  doing,  while  he  was  totally  unaware 
that  the  Knglish  Hibles  ,,f  his  friend  Bishop  Bonner  and  of 
other  orthodox  pers(.ris  and  of  numentus  churches  and  con- 
vents were  copies  of  Purvey "s  version.     More  was  not  alone 
i;i  iiis  confusion  of  the  two  editions  of  Wyclilfe's  Bible  as 
distinct  trai.si.itii.ns.     Intil  a  comparatively  recent  period 
all  writers  mistook  Purvey 's  n^vision  for  a  translation  anterior 
to  Wycliifc's.     The  assnraiur  that  WyclillV  an<l  his  associates 
transl.ited  the  Bible  into  Knglis!).  that  their  translation  was 
the  fir-t  complete  version  thus  made,  ,.ii<l  that  Purvey  re- 
vised it  to  its  great  benefit,  is  too  well  attested  to  Iw  easily 
disturlxMl. 

Bishop  We^teott  shows  that  the  history  of  the  Knglish 
Bible,  as  we  now  have  it,  began  with  the  work  of  William 
lyndale,  rather  than  with  that  of  Wyclilfe.     Tyndale  hini- 

'  I.iuhl  li;i.  I,,.,.t,  .Ii.mI  „|„mi  th,.  .,ii,..|i,„i  of  111..  Old  KiiKlish  Version  l.v  i 
«..rk  o(  A.  C.  I'.u.-^.  ..„titl,.,|  ■■■111,.  l-uiirt..,.Mth  <-..|,tiirv  Ki.«lish  l<il>ll.'..l 
Nrr-ioi,  (Pioji.  sliowii.u'  lli;,t  ilhT,.  was  HI,  ii„l,.p..n.|..Mt  trunslation  of 
will..  pMrls  of  the.  \i  V,  TiM.rii.iii  iii:i,l,.  j^'fort-  Wvclillo. 


I      i 


JOHN  WYCLIFFE 


151 


self  stated  that  lie  was  not  "h(.l|M'ii  with  EiiRlish  of  anv 
tlmt  had  interpreted  the  same  or  such  like  thinj;  in  the  Seri|i- 
tiire  beforehand."  \vt  the  t\M»  nun.  thoiifrh  se|)arated  hv  a 
(Tiitury  and  a  half  of  time,  were  of  the  same  spiritual  gene- 
alogy, and  one  in  the  loving  veneration  for  the  Seriptures 
whieh  actuate.!  their  labors.  Th.-  translation  by  Wvcliffe 
stands  apart,  like  a  mountaiji  sei)arated  and  remote"  from 
meaner  ranges,  bearing  the  marks  of  primeval  origin  ;  in  its 
solitary  and  rugged  grandeur  a  fitting  inomiment  and  witness 
to  the  -Doctor  Evangelicus,'  to  his  unwearied  patience  and 
prodigious  toil. 

Ill 

His  separation  from  Oxfor.l  isi.hited  him  as  a  scholar;  the 
lack  of  mechanical  mean.  f.,r  the  dillu.ion  of  his  teacliing, 
and  his  conflict  with  the  hi.rarchy  Aruw  him  t..  copy  the 
methods  of  St.  Francis,  and  hi-  ripening  >.xp,ricn<e  convinced 
him  that  the  organized  societies  within   the  Church   were 
backslidden  seels  which  could   not  i.revent   her  decay.     To 
obviate  this  he a<lopted  the extr.-.ordinary  m.;is„n-  <,f  institut- 
ing an  order  of  poor  priests,  \n  ■;„  wer,'  >eiit  mit  to  declare  the 
messiige  of  the  .\ew  Testament     in  the    reju\ coated    ,,,irit 
of  the  earlier  friars.      Lutterunrth  became  the  head(iuart<  rs 
for  these  evangelists,  some  of  whnm  w.re  Oxford  grarJiiM    . 
who  had   felt  the  impnl-e  of  \\y(litle\  influ.i.ce  while  !„■ 
was  still  at  the  Iniversity,  but  the  majoritv  were  uniettere.j 
men.     Although    at    first  ordaine.l,   tlu-   ,i.in;.nds   of   their 
mission    st-iK-rseded    clerical    limitations   and    lavmen    wen- 
soon  found  among  them.     In  WyclillVs  later  writings  tlu-y 
were    m.    longer   call..:    '•si„,,,|i,.,,s    sa..  rd..fes,"    l,„t    •' viH 
ap..st..li<'i"„r"evang.li.i."     A  r.markablv  .fVectiv..  prea.  h.r 
himself,  \\y,Mv  carri.'d  tlu-  b.-tterm.'nt  .,f  pr.M.-hing  upon 
his  heart,  an.l   many  of  his    MPnion     and    a.ldr.-sse>    w.r.' 
dir.'ct.M|  to  that  end.     He  eoinplai.i.'d  that   usel.-s    .pe.uia- 
tions,  h-gen.ls.  tales,  and  fahl.s   w.rr  snl.>titut.-d  for  .Sri|>- 
tural    instrueti..n,   an.l    that    ..rriani.„ted    rhet..ri.-    niarr.-.l 


! 


i    ' 


ir)2      TIIIJKK    KKI.Kilous    LKADKKS   OK    OXFORD 

tlu-  piiIjHt  iittciaii.o  nf  thr  hfttcr  sort  of  cK-rjjy.  Flad  he 
not  l..rn  coustraincl  to  .xami.u-  .ui.l  rrjrct  the' imcHectual 
»<'iM,.lat.<.M  ofCatl.oii..  UvVu-f,  lu-  ini^'l.t  luur  sliared  th.-  honors 
•'t  >t.  I-rai.ns  an.l  St.  Do.iiii.i.-  as  th."  founder  of  another 
order  of  pn-aehin-  friars.  His  ou  n  prototvpe.s  of  Wrsh-v's 
iu'liHT.  wen.  MiiK-rinr  to  the  re^-niar  .•eelesiasties  in  self- 
etlaen,-  zeal.  The.v  >hare.i  that  roHrctive  sap.eitv  of  the 
AnKlo-.s;,xon  »olk  which  has  soinetinie>  (nitwitted  the  d.-si^^ns 
ol  th,.  w,M.  and  the  nol.l...  I'overt;  and  plainness  of  ,p,,,.h 
pive  them  ready  a<cess  to  their  eoniitryinen.     <  'hid  in  a  riisti.. 

f""''  "''  '""^'■'' '  "uol,  depen.lent  on  eharitv  for  their  .hiily 

hrea.l,  provided  Mnly  with  a  ,,'  -iin  stalfand  a  f.-w  pa.'-s  from 
WviMr  s  tractate,  or  >  r:,,on  ..  t!ie  staple  of  their  l.rief  an.l 
pnmte.l  ii.mnh....  th.^y  -rvjv.d  the  .•.,nt..|npt  of  tli.^  hi.-r- 
f.r.hy  and  >,..nr..|  the  irood-uiji  of  the  p.-opl.-.  ("onrtenav 
uli.iM-  av.T~ion  to  Mi.'h  m.'n  an.l  m<.a>Mn.s  -an  l>e  ima^'in.il' 
ret.Tr,-.l  t..  tli.in  „.  w.,|\..,  in  .he- ;,->  .•|oihi„jr.  Their  >u.-- 
ee-,  uhieh  exc.d.Ml  th,.  m.M  sanirnin..  ,.xpe,-tati.)n-.,  was 
'•"nte->,.d  in  th,.  ,  xa,ijf;..rat,.,l  avowal  .,f  Knifr|,ton  that  the 
M.t  uas  h..|.|  in  th,.  t:r..at,..t  h.inor  aiul  multipli,.d  ...  that 
.vnu  ...nld  M-ar....  m,.,.t  rn„  i;„.n  l,y  the  way  wi.,.r,..,f  on,,  was 
not   I  iJiM-ipl,.  ,,f  \\\,|i|f,..  ■ 

("n.hr  Mi.h  aii>pi,.,.s,  th.  h..ar'  .,f  tli."  re.tor  of  L„tt<.r- 
worth  M.,.m..,l  pr....f  ;,;,Minst  th,-  fronts  of  aKc  ..r  that  more 
«h=idly  l.h«ht  whi.h  th,.  worl.l-s  harsh  tn.atm.nt  so  oft,.„ 
'"'Ixt^  npon  hop,.  ,,nd  faith.  II,.  s,w  th,.  uo.-.l  -.n.ls  his 
evan;:..||.t.  Mr\,.,|.  ..hmI  th..  r..>tri.t..,l  area,  of  hi..  ,.on,hi,linK 
|H.ri,.,|  only  int,.n.ifi,..|  it.  ,n..rj:i,...  l{,.|,.a.,..|  from  the 
nilnj;,i,..ofpoliti,al,al.a|s.hi.,|,.jr,.,„  ,,roj,.,.t  ,„.w  a,.tivitv 
nito  f h..  moral,  of  hi.  a-.,  fom.,1  aii,.th..r  ontl.'t  in  the  >tr,am 
ot  |.ampl,|..t.  that  (low,.,|  from  lii.  p,.,,,  |,o,h  in  Latin  an.l  in 
Kn;:h.h.  Tuo,,f  hj,  |;,r«..r  work.,  the  ••Trial..K'as,"  tm.st 
'•ni.ht..  ,,t  all  l„.  prod.i.tion.,  .n.l  th..  iinfinis|i,..|  -Opus 
Kv.anpli.nm,  ..ur.  J...  «ritt,..i  at  thi-  tini...  .\or  .jid  his 
H.(.|usi,,ri  r.nd.r  iiini  ii„lill(.r...,t  to  tlio...  i..n...  of  th,.  State  in 

"■    '■    '  ""I'""      ■  <1.   .i.vr  ;„i.|  l,i.  I.„t:l;,„.l-   ,    p.  :m7. 


J:      i 

V      • 


h 


I 


•I(tll\    \V\C|,II'IK 


l.->3 


Nvluch  III-  h.'iil    ...  ncciitl.v    Im-.i,   c.m.i,!.  ih.ii.       \Vi„M   l\vur\ 
Spi'iiirr,'  HLsIk.J)  ,.f   Norwich,   (,l.i;iitic  .1    ;i    ..,iriiiu~MnM    t'roiii 
■  '••IK'  I'rlmii  \'l  to  I.M.i  ,1  .  hismIc  .-.liiiitHf  the  adlicrcMt ,  of  hi- 
rival  iit   Avifrnoii.  (  Inii.iit   \  II,   Wv.-lillV  [hiI,|i-|m'.|  a  smail 
J>atiii  trfatisc  .•iititlc.i  "  CriKiatM,'  in  wlij.l,  he  ,  \jhm-(1  aii<l 
f<)ti,l,.i,„i.',|  Sprnc.r-,  |)ror,.f.|i„-.,  |.rol,al.l.v  the  more  rca.Iily 
bfcaiisc   tint    ()i-.|i,,|,    |,,i,l    Ilvoiii.     nuiorioii-^    for    hi,   hnital 
trcattiiriit    of    tlir    jMii-ant.    duriim-    their    iii-.iir-riic,\ .      In 
\N,Vclin't"  thr  prelate  etirniintereil  .m   <.p[)oiient    lint    >o  easilv 
subdued,    who    .'haraeteri/ed    hi.    a.tion    a,    .,    pm-eeution 
uiilK-n.miii;;  ini.    < 'hri -li;,,, ,,   and  an   in\a>ion   of  the   faith. 
Not    eoilteiit    with    fhi    .    Wvrlille    addre^ed    .,    I,  iler   to  the 
IViiiiate  covering'   the    siinr   urniin.l.      Tlie   ,>eheiMe    lie   ar- 
raifitie.!  failed;   on    Spen<cr'^    return    to    i:iii,'|:iiid    the   tem- 
poralities   of    his    >ee    uere    uithdrauii     .md     he     ua>    rited 
More    Parliament    to   an-u.T   for   hi-   ...ndiiet.     ( 'oiirteiiay 
had  ti^diteiu'd  the  rein-  to  no  nnrpo^'  if  he  m.ant   U.  eiirh 
Wyehlle.      ^'.'t  the  Anlil.idiop  a  a-  reluctant  to  pn-li  iiiatter> 
to  fxtivnie-.  andalthoii-h  tlii>  he  iiation  h.i-  lu-cti  treiierally 
credited  to  th.-tatii^  of  the  K.jormera.  a   lenoun.d  doctor 
of  Theoloiry,  his  imiminity  from   jHTMinai  attack    may  have 
Immmi  due  in  mmu.'  iiieaMire  to  mon-  -enerons  moti\(.  on  the 
part    of    Coiirt.'nay.      The   .■van-e|i-t.  tlieiiiMlve.    received 
no  consideration  ;    they  were  hara^M^d  on  every  -uU;  expellc.l 
from  the    rniverMty.   forc-d    t.i   al.iurc    th.-ir   opinion-,   and 
to  renounce  their  allci^iance  to  the  ardi-lieretic.     One  after 
another  Mil.mitte.l,  l.ut    a  faithful    .mnp.  chielis    •■ompoM-d 
of  iiien  of  hmnhlc  po-itmn  and  relati\civ   Muall  attainment-, 
refused    to    recant,    and    di-pla,ve.i   thai    rurtitiidc  f.,r   which 
the  l-'.n^li-h  yeoman  ha-  li.'en  jii-tly  c-t.'enied. 

'liicir  leader  «a-  iMMtiier  hanncd  !:,,r  cvcomiminicated. 
and  the  faille  of  hi-  recantation  i-  too  llun-y  for  .eri,ai-  dis- 
•  ■us-ioii  lie  had  realized  hi-  !rc.-.'.m.  the  oiit-ide  worl.i 
had  lo-i  it-  .harm-  an.!  terror-  tor  hiin,  aii.l  h.'  \^a.  n.,t    re- 

<ll.-.l   Ml    no.,      :,   ,-,,|,||rl    ,,i!l„.,    til.,.,   :.  ,l,.,n-|Hll.U,. 


!   -  I 

V 

.■i 


ill 


1 1 


lit 


•I  ' 


!    I 


154      THEiEK    l{KM(;i(>l;.s    LEADKKS   OK   OXFORD 

^trained  from  stinmlat.Mj;  t..  tlu-  fulKst  oxtent  the  adapta- 
t.on  o  h.s  teaduHK  t..  acti.al  ,..,uliti.,ns.  I„  the  inqwirv 
w huh  L ourtena V  ha.l  set  on  »„„t ...,  ,nenti..n  was  n.a.le  .,f  an'v 
ni.hvidual.  The  .hutrines  coiuleinne.!  were  n„t  attributed 
to  any  particuh.r  part  v  ;  eeelesiastieal  diseipline  has  sel.loni 
It  ever,  been  maintained  with  more  moderation.  On  the 
other  hand  Wy.lillV  was  not  so  mueh  a  Reformvr  with  a 
numeroiis  and  .leter.nined  b,Hly  of  supporters  as  an  earnest 
seeker  after  truth  wh...  althouK'h  he  .■oul.l  no  h.n^er  accept 
thin|:s  as  they  wer...  had  no  deliberate  system  of  his  oun 
to  otter  ni  their  stead. 

Tlius  in  a  comparaiixely  p,.a,.,.rul  eventide,  his  hitherto 

t^ried  day  .Irew  near  its  ,|„se.     A  paralytic  seizure  in 

US.  I.ad  vvarned  hi,.,  that  his  iiuessant  toils  e.,uld   „ot   be 

h.njr  e.xtended  ;    still,  ex.ept  in  so  far  as  physi, al  <lebilitv 

nn,)ose.l  restraint.  ..,.  him.  he  ^ave  no  sip,  of  relinrpiishing 

h.s  .luties.      liu-  .•..n.,.i,M.s„,.ss  that  his  raee  was  weil-niL'h 

run  couhl  not  induce  him  to  retire  from  the  field,  in  whi<h  he 

labored  aKainst  the  friars  and  tlie  Ib.ly  Si>e  with  unabate<« 

nu-ntal  and  moral  fnr.v.     .>^ome  of  his  biographers  assert  that 

lie  Jriars  appeal.d  lu  |{„„k.  i„  protest,  and  that  in   i;W4 

rban  summoned  WydillV  to  appear  before  the  Papal  Court 

H.s  reply  tn  the  J>n„titr.  they  inform  us.  sliowe.1  that  the 

emaciated  ncluM,  •  >parea.Hl  well-ni>;li  .le-stitme  of  streiifTth." 
^Uule  mc  l„u,  r  in  t.m,..  conid  still  use  the  .sp^-ech  <.f  eontro- 
vcr.y  «,th  ol,J-t.inc  skill  and  promptitucle  :   "I  have  jovfully 
o  tell  t-  a  I  men  the  belief  that  I  hol.l.  an.l  especially  to  the 
ope.  t...  I  Mipp..,c  that  if  my  faith  be  rightful  and  ^iven  of 
(.od  tlu    :  „p,.  wdl  dadly  confirm  it.  and  that  if  mv  faith  be 
error,  the  _l'„p,.  uill  uiMly  amend  it.     Above  this 'l  suppose 
that  the     o|„    ,-  „„.-,  obli^.d  to  the  k.rpin;:  of  the  (Jo.spel 
|.monu  all  m,.,,  iKu  liv,.  |,..r,..  f,,p  t,,,  ,^,,,,.  i,  ,,i.,,,^.^^^^^^^^^^ 
that  <  hrM  ha.  h.T-  u„  ..,,rtl.      For  th..  moreness  (Miperioritv) 
-   (  hri.t  .  N„ar  ,.  not  m.-.i-urcd  by  earthly  nmreness.  but  bv 
this,  that  this  Nirar  f..jlou  .  (  hrist  more  dosciv  bv  virtuou"s 
living.     Now  Christ  during  the  time  He  walked"  here  was 


'.    I 


JOHN   WYCLIFFE 


155 


g 

3 


4 
i 

i 


I 


the  poorest  of  men.  and  put  from  Ilim  all  manner  of  worldly 
lordship.  I-rom  this  I  take  it  as  a  wholesome  eounsel  that 
the  I  ope  should  ai.andon  his  worl.lly  lor.lship  to  worl.llv 
lords,  and  move  speedily  all  his  clerks  to  do  the  same  FoV 
thus  (hd  Christ,  aiul  thus  He  taught  His  .liseiples,  until  the 
heiid  had  blinded  this  worl.l.  And  if  I  err  in  this  sentenee 
(opnuon)  I  will  meekly  he  amen.le.l.  yea  eve.,  bv  death, 
for  tliat  I  hope  would  be  a  ^ood  to  me." 

This  was  the  last  flash  of  his  expiriuK  Hrvs;  a  few  weeks 
later,  "on  the  day  of  the  Holy  Inn.Kents,"  said  John  Horn 
a   priest  and  an  eyewitness,  "as  Wyelilfe  was  hearing  -Mass 
m  his  .hurch  at  Lutterworth,  at  the  time. .f  the  elevation  of 
tlie  Most,  he  fell  down  smitten  by  a  severe  paralvsis."    Three 
days  afterward,  on  .Saturday.  December  ;!l.  blvj    hh  tnn- 
.scendenf  .pirit.  whose  ^r.N.t  ^-ifts.  a.tivitics.  and  aspirations 
<""i"'.'nde<i   the  admiration  of  frien.ls  and   enemies  alike 
entercl  mto  rest  with  th,-  .Icpartinjr  .vear.      The  mann.T  of 
h.s  dcccaM-,  after  all   he  had   >aid  an.l   .I.,,,,.,  mi^ht  well   be 
described  m  the  lan-na-c  of  DaiUc's  "Convito":   "Natural 
death  ,s  as  ,t  were  a  haven  a,,,!  a  r.'st  aft.T  h.uff  naviKati.m. 

And  the  nobh.  >ouI  is  |ik,.  .-, ]  ,„.,n,u.r;  f„r  he.  when  he 

<iraws  near  th.-  ],ort.  Iow.ts  his  sails  an.l  enters  it  softlv 
with  ;;entle  stc-rajre.  |-or  in  su.h  a  .leath  there  is  no  urief 
n.,r  any  bitterness ;  b„t  as  a  ripe  apple  is  liuhtlv  an.l  with- 
out violence  looscnc.l  fn.m  its  branch,  so  our  soul  without 
gneym^r  departs  from  the  bo.ly  in  which  it  hath  been."  ' 

Wyclifl'e  was  burie.l  at  I.ntt.Tworth,  but  bv  a  decree  .)f  the 
C  onnc.l  of  Constan.r,  .laf.l  May  4th.  141:.,  i.is  r.mains  were 
ordere.l  to  be  e.xhun...|  an.l  -a-,  aw.,y.  Thirfen  vears  later 
Jiishop  McmuiK.  til.-  f  .iin.ier  of  I.in<..ln  (  oIK-jjc  Oxfor.l' 
earrie.1  ..ut  the  ..r.ler.  W  |„i,  Charles  \-  ,st..o.|  besi.lo  tli.' 
tomb  of  Luth.T  at  WittcnluT.'.  tho,e  about  him  su^estcl 
tliat  the  body  o»  his  triumphant  ciu'iny  >h..ul,|  be.lisinterre.1 
an.  burne.l  at  the  stak,.  in  th."  market  pla.-e.  "I  war  not 
With  the  .lead,"  was  the  Kmp,Tor\  reply,  a  chivalrous  word 

'  llr.  ('.irlvlc  s  lraM.-l:iii,,i,. 


: 


n  ■ 


m 


i 


I*; 


'  ?,iiJj,''?,;V' 


')»•      TIIUKK    UKLKilors    LKADKUS   or   ()\|-(»K1) 


Mil 


' 


I    I 


wliicli   >tiinils  in  (oiitra.^t   to  tin-  iiuik-voli-iit  u.srli-shiu-ss  of 
I'lfiiiiii;;'^  (Icrd. 

In  iiny  iittrnipt   ti.  j.rrMnt   ji   unified   view  df  Wydiirt-'s 
cliaractcr  itn<l  mtv  i(r  ji>  tlic  (ir->t  Kn-ii^h  proplu-t  wlio  sinotc 


tin-  rock  (if  niftlic\,il  rccloia.-t 


ci-ni,   )ir>t   plair  >li()ul(l   I 


>;ivcM  t(.  that  -.i)iritMal  iii>i;;lit  uliidi   tMitla>ts   tin-   t 


value  uf  Iii>  iiitrllctnal  clli 


ran>icnt 


liavf  ptTi^lifii  whU  the  a^'c  tliat  'Mvc  tl 


rt>.     Tlic  loruis  of  his  thought 


KMi  meaning;,  hut  tlic 


■  Ktehh-  unit  in 
was,    his   rtliaiicf  was 


spell  (it  hi>  M.ul  >  prcMTicr  i-,  with  u>  stil 

a    threatening:    infinitude"  thou;;h    he 

UjMin  (  hri-t.  Wlioni  he  -et  forth  under  terni>  of  hi^'li  political 

|)lira-eol(.uy.  ;i>  ilic  Mipreiiie  Head  of   the  race,  tiu'  "Ca'sar 

semper   .\ui:u-^iii-,"   the  Saviour  of    tlie   whole   nuniher  of 

the  elei  t.      \\\    the  eMit(  ric   st 


rain  was  seldom  a|)j)arent  in 
WvelilFe;  liee\pr(--e(|  little  of  that  poiirnant  >ense  of  individ- 
ual trans;;re>^ion  which  i>  the  plaint  of  such  men  as  St.  I'aul, 


St.   .\iii,'u-t 


Uie.    a 


nd    St.   I'ernard    of   (lair 


rajit  comnumion  with  (mkI    Mcm    to  iiave   I 


\auv,  nor  does  a 


leen  \(iiichsafed 


to    his   rehuiou-   cxiHTietice.      lli>   intellectual    liahits    t 
lar^'e  extent  controlle.l   hi>  devotional  attitude.       He  elosolv 


o   a 


identified  ki 


low  IW'  \\ 


ith  I 


■em 


aiKf  the  h-ir; 


llist 


le  ratlier  tliun 


the  -trictly  c\  an^iclical  a|)i)ropriati(in  of  divine  j;race  found 
favor  in  hi>  nirht.  'I'hi-  vva^  e\pre-M(|  in  his  article  that 
"vvorkini.'  hy  a  riyht  life  ended  after  Cod's  will  maketh  a 
man  (iod's  child,"'  a  -tateinent  which,  however  true  in  itself, 
stood  unrclate.i  to  tiie  do(trin(  of  Justification  \n  hiith. 
Indeed,  dc>i)itc  Wydille'-  familiarity  with  the  .New  Testa- 
ment, he  did  not  ;:ive  that  cmpha-i^  to  St.  Paul'.-  teachinj; 
which  vva>   the  m;iin>prin.i.'   "f  the  sixteenth  centurv    Refor- 


mation.     .N'otwithvt.indini;   hi-   in 


int    appeal    to   reason. 


passion 


his  word-  are  -utlii-cd    with  .1   direct  earnotness 
ir  Inith.and  ,in  nniillcrtcd  >inceritv  which  lift  them  al)ov( 
e  I  hilliii;;  iiii-i  ~  uf  nitre  aii-tr.n'tion.      Moreover,  the  ojiera- 


tli 


KIM  r;i(\   Were  forc-liadow  eil  in  hi-  reli'M 


on- 


tii'ii-  of  I'liritaii  il 

dcvcl.ipiiicnl.       if  rt  .1 and   the  expo-ition   of  hol.v    doctors 

iipprnvcd  li\  the  <  hnriji  were  hi-  earlier  ;.'uides  in  the  inter- 


•JOHN    W  VCI.II'KK 


I  a? 


prctHt...n  of  tlH-  S,ri,,tur...,  in  hi,  h.t.T  ^^ritin^:>  1„.  \n^\.u,\ 
that  th..  >,„nt  ..»•  (;u.|  .1,.,,,.  ,.,.,,1.1  ..N,,.,„„.l  th,.  Mihh.  t,.  thr 
in.l.v„l„al<  hri.ti......     Il....„|v  ..„,  h,.,.,.  t,.  un,h.M,„„l  aright 

wh..  srrks  the  tn.th  th,.r..i„  .■..,„aii...,|  i,,    h„|i„,.,  „(  |,,,,j 
"'"'.'"umhty  ..f  „,i,„|.        11,  ,|„f    i^,,,,,,,,.    „„,,^,„.^,  ^,„., 
(•mmyhatl.   th,.   tn,..  u„,|,.M...,„h„,-  ,„„l    ,.,.r(V,.,i„„  „f  ,,11 
Fr..Iy  \\nt.     f.,r  "Christ   ,li,|  „.,,  „rit,   Ui.   lau.  „„  f;,|,|,s 
or  ,.n  skins  ,.f  anin.aU,  l.nt  in  th..  h..art.  ,.f  n.,.„  I"     -The' 

llolv  (ih,)sf,     li)' atliU    "fi"i.l »i.    ..  i.    •     ■ 

.  ,,,.,,1.1.,     K.I'll,  ,  ii>  the  ni,.,.,nin;;  , it  Nriptiir,- 

as  (  hrist  ,,|),.n,..|  it>  m.|i>,.  t,,  Ilj,  .\|,.,-.th.^." 

.Milt,.n  prai>,.,l  Wv.htlV  in  t|,..  ••.\r,..,|,ai:iti,a  "  a^  •,  '^h' 
v.m.  an,l  a,hn.ral,h.  -,.irit."  .,,,1.  if  hi.  n.  titn.h.  an.l  in- 
t.-KHty  h,s  c.nthu,ia>n,  tnr  ti„  ,;.n..  „(  r,H,.„n  .„,|  his 
anient  h.n;:in«  („r  th,.  i.nrih,-ati,.n  ,.t  ti„.  (  hnnh  an-  r,.,all,.,| 
It  .•ann„t  Ik-  Kain.ai.i  that  th,-  aiot.r..  i„...f.  ,.„|,.,,i,„„  ,,,' 
on  tho  wl,„K.  ,h.M.rv...|.  S.-n,..  ,.f  |,i,  ,)„..,|„,,.,,|  ,„,„i,. 
t.ons  have  sunk  t..  th.  U-u\  .,f  ,.uri.,Hti....  an.l  nun  hav,. 
t.inu-,1  away  In.m  „th.rs  l„.,.;,„,,  ,|,,,  |„„.  ,,..,^,.,|  ,„  ^,,,.^j^^ 
any  ,nt,.r,.st.      The  r,.st  u,.r,-   h.l,!   Uy  hin.  in  an  inflh-.m 

an.l  a  >,,a,.,..,is  way.  a.,,1  u,.r,.  n.ll  ,,!•  ,nh  J.t.nnunt  an.i  1,..,,.. 
His  theory  ,.t  the  h,r,Khip.,t(i...i  u,.,  nn.re  than  ,„,  in.l'f,- 
nite  asp,rat.„i.  „r  a  Mipr.n,,-  tV.lin.   f..r  th,.  I.,t,i...t  ,,l,j..,, 
o    human  .•ontemph.ti.m.     He  .,,^  n,„  ,  ,.,„„,t  u  „h  th..  i.l.a 
of  a  Deity  \Vh„  «as  fli,-  ni,.r,.  .nati.m  ,.f  nntai.jiv.i,.,   .n.l 
whose   attril.utes  wer,.  H.arl.itrarilv  ..x,T,..M.|    ;,/t,.    Intil.. 
those  wii„s,.u«ht  Mis  ai,l.      I!>  .l..rix  in,  Inin.,,,  fr„n,  .lii  hh. 
Ion  ship,  an.l    ,y  „,akin,'  th,-  fornar  .|..,„.n,l,.nt  .,n  ,  hara.  t.r 
"'"'    ''■'■^''■•'-    ^Vvriifl'e    l.ut    ,.in|,l,K..,|    f,.,„|a|     |,„„,,,„,     ,„ 
sweet,.,  the  hv..s  „f  Mill.ri,,,  umlti.u.i,.,  an,l  hf.    fr„urth..ir 
shoul,i..rstliel.uni,.n.tha,l..,..,.,i,l„,„.|,.,,,     Th..  .ii.h.-tie 
pl'ras,.o|oj:y  of  his  .-on.tni.tiN,.  i\nuklu;  «a-.  Mi.loni  «i,h..ut 
an  ai)pli..i,tion  to  th,.  |.rol.|,..ii.  ,.f  .niual  U(v. 

His  Kraniti,.  ,.hara.t,.ru;,-  nnnMhil,.,!  hx  Mip,.Hi,ial  t,..,- 
:  .•rness.  an.l  a,  a  ....hl.a,,.  h-  .,.,1,1  n,„  ..njoy  the  .I.,,,,,..,,.. 
n.ter..onr.e  ^^h„.h  .  ,.n,r,hnt,.,i  ,„  i,,nh..r\  huniann,..,  an.l 
P"Pularity.     \et  hi,  temj-.Tanieiit,  thuui;!,  naluralh  in.iin,..l 


!  I 


ifti- 


I 


158     THREE    RELIGIOUS  LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

to  forcihli-  a{ti«)ii.  never  knew  those  revulsions  of  sentiment 
wliicli  fn<iiientl\   accompany  such  a  dis|)osition.     He  was 
ill  a  Krcat  cthi<al  sense  a  lover  of  CkkI,  of  Koo»lness.  and  of 
his  fellow  (features;    es|HTially  such  as  were  desertinl  and 
f<.rli.rii ;  vi(  tiniized  hy  the  outrageous  evils  which  a  merciless 
caste  system  inflicted  on  the  piK.r.     These  he  «-ared  for  as 
though  they  were  his  own.  and  the  more  jK-rsistently  because 
of  their  wretchedness.     For  love  is  not  only  the  impulse  of 
natural  allection,  it  is  also  that  moralized  devotion  which 
seeks  the  hi>;hest  welfare  of  its  object.      This  passion  pre- 
vailed in  Wyclille;  it  maile  him  solicitous  for  the  nation,  the 
Church,  the  Hil.lc,  and  fur  those  helpless  memhers  of  the 
State  who  couM   not   ward  off  hunger,  cold,  and   misery. 
"Poor  men."  he  cried,  "have  naked  sides  and  dead  walls 
lia\c  pittity  of  wa>te  gold."     The  recurrence  of  such  al)ject 
condition^  has  l.rought  hack  these  and  similar  phrases  into 
modern  speech.      They  have  not  yet  escajn-d  the  stir  made 
five  iniii(irc<i  years  ago  hy  his  opinions,  opinions  which,  while 
somewhat  inchoate,  nevertheless  had  a  real  influence  for  their 
own  age,  as  the  Peasants'  Ifevolt  sufficiently  attests. 

Kvcn  friendly  oi)>ervers  have  comj)lained  of  his  constant 
invecti\e  against    the  e>tal)li>hc(l   order,   and    certainly  he 
indulged    an    un>easorial)le    readiness    for   scathing    reliuke. 
Hclicving,  liccanse  of  his  sensitiveness  to  more  commanding 
mterests,  that  proix-rty  was  the  capital  oll'ender  against  the 
common   weal,   he  scorned    its  inheritors,  and   i)ropounded 
imi)ossil>le   schemes   for   their  elimination   from   the  social 
organism.     His  hate  of  gn-ed  and  of  the  despotisms  which  it 
<li(tated   was  the  militant  asju-ct   of  his  ecclesiastical  and 
I)oliticiil  rightcou>ness.     \vt  these  exi)lanations  do  not  justify 
his  language  in  contn>vcrsy,  which  was  har>h,  imperious,  and 
vituperative.     Mis  opponents  returned   it   in  good  measure 
after  the  fashion  of  the  era.     Dignitaries  of  the  <  liurch  and 
of  the  liiivcr>ity  were  prone  to  scurrilous  ahifsc  as  well  as 
still'  argumentation,   and   were  seemingly   ohlivious  of  the 
fact  that  such  mcthuds  lowered  the  merit  of  their  debate.     A 


'.    I 


■IWIIN     W  VCUKKK 


loO 


3 


.1 


i 


witty  rrnKhman  >atiri/,..,|  (jy,AUvy.  vitrioli,-  .riti.isn.s  l.x       rUMA 

tusttMl  tlu.  t.,.  ..f  I...  own  ,,..„,     M,„  (;,„,rr,v  ,va.s  ,„i|.|  „,.;|  huJUjl^'^ 

.s..,M,nfu'  wl».„  ,...,nparr,|  with  tl..-  f,.nrtrn,tl,  r.ntnrv  .l,„.t,.rs  Ji.dH    • 

ami  ..is,,utaMt>.   wl,..,,.  ,.i,„,r..>,,„,.lv   Masplu,,,,,,,;  .-pitlw-ts  i^Lt',    U 
m-.-.|   not   l„.  mount  .1   Uvu:     Conrf^y  an.l  fairness  w.-n-      J^t^U -^ 

tlu-n  unknown,  an.l  1,1,  a.hninrs  ,,,nnot  .lain,  that  Wv.lillV  Vw-  •  * 

«li»l  auKht  t.>  .lixov.T  tli.rn.  *  ''jUi^  * 

But  tlu-  prin.ipl...  „f  tol.  ran,-,,  w.t.'  known  ;   an.l  tl.c  m.-n  M*.^jU  ' 

of   that   a^'..   n.v.T   tlu.uu'l.t    ..f   p..r>,.,.ution   as  ri«ht ;   thrv  ^/ urn  I^ 

usi'.l  It  as  a  nf.r>sary  uistrurn.nt  in  tlit-  maintcnan.r  .,f  the  A  C*U/e  7 


..^...    ......  .„..,,.,,.x  .Ms.nun.iit  ni  tlit- manitcnan.r  ..f  the     AOiU-e   T 

ehnrchlyorKani/ation  as  a  vital  f,„tor.,f  the  State.     Kven  s.»    ^^  t^»   ^^ 

enl.^hfne.   as,.holaras(;..r,on..ntin.|y.!.vlin,..|.or.-.-..«ni/e.    jjt^  *      - 
fxcept  l..r  his  own  purp,.,,,.  hi,  avou.-.l  prin,  iph-  ..f  ,!„.  n..n-   rt^Mi^*^ 
e.K.n>..n  ..fopm.on,.  an.l  wh...  Mn>  appii..!  it  t..  the  revival     '^u^^  V.^aJ- 
of  spiritual  relip....   it  at  ..n.  ,■   i...  an...   h.r.ti.al.'     Wv.liire  .^     .-     ^     ^ 
|l-.i  not  su^Kest  ,,hysi..al  v  iol..,,...  a,ain„  hi,  a.lversari.;.  hut  vl^T' 

U'  <li.l   re,„n.n,en.l   that   th-y   ,honl,l   1...  ,trip,K-.l   ..f  their    ''    "'^.^ 
li. mors  an.l  I'limhiiiwiit.      ii ;..i..  i i  •       .  P..^  ''^.tot**^ 


.rsan.l  eni..h.n..-nt>.     II,.  n.if^ht  hav,-  >ai.|  in  tl...  w..r.ls 


of  CMH-the    -I  ,an   pron.i,..   to   1...  ,in..,.r..  hut   n..t   in.par- "•  %'^^--^' • 
tial.     an.l  his  unli....ns...|  ,p,,-,  h  injiin.l  his  .aine  and  ex-  ^  '-*      ' 
I)o.se.l  him  to  the  just   a<..u,ati..ii,  .,f   hi,  .•luini.-s.     On    the  ^  *  ^-^-^^ 
other  han.l,  a  ju.li.ial  attitii.le  wa,  s.an.lv  p..„il,|,.  in  e..n-   /t^'-^^   ^ 
tentioiis  matters  whi.h  wiit  to  th,-  n.ot  of  a  ,..n.i-eiviliz,..|   /  ^^^  ^"^ 
life.     i{.)tli  he  an.l  his  a.lv.-rs.ri.-s  ,tru.  k  for  a  .hfinite  ol.je.t    >f 
ami   reeeive.1   l.ar.1   l.h.ws  in   return.     Mor..ov,.r.  the  .ler^v   — " 
upon  whom   he  p..ur...l  ...it   his  a.i;;er  wen-  not  lorniven  l."v 
f..lh.win^'  K«iKTations.     .\  .-.ntury  an.l  a  half  later  the  lait'v 
of  many  .-..untries  rev.,lt...l   a^'ai.,,t   th.-m.  ami   to-.lav   i.'.) 
progressive  jH-ople  u.m.I.I  tohrat..  then.  f.,r  a  ni..n.ent. ' 
_    All  <...n(|uests  are.  more  or  I..„.  tl...  pri/.-  ..f  ..Mirage,  ami  it 
IS  essential  f..r  the  f.,rwanl  man  h  of  tl...  ra.v  that  .lee.l,  .)f 
(larin|r   sh.Mil.l    >-rapple    l..,|,||y    uiti,    fate.      In    this   respect 
Uyelifle  has  receive.l  i...  l.lanie  an.l  r...|i.ir..,  no  .lefens<>.     He 
had   other   el.ara.  terisli.,;    moral   .arn.^tnes,.   a  l.orn.r  of 
'  Bishop  MaudellCrWKhtuu:  •■lVr=iiulioi.  auJ  Tolcrau.r"  ;  j,,,.  lOU-101. 


Ill 


N- 


I 


i 


t 


r  '. 
Mi 


i^  : 


Kil) 


TMUKK    UKhHilors   I.KADKUS   (»K   OXFOKI) 


III 


li\|M).ri>.v.  Ii..ii.-.ty  tliiit  <li.|  ii..t  Nhrink  (mm  t\u-  iimfrssic... 
..f  failiirr,  iiii.l  tl,r  t.iM|KT  which  hroii^'ht  iipinioiis  u>  the  tist 
of  pni.tir.  ;   .,„ahti.>   .xi.n^Mil    in   an    iin.hiiinU'il    hniriiiK 
winch  n.\.  r  ll,,,.h.-.l.  aii<l  iiiailr  him  thi'  foremost  liti/.n  of 
KiiK'laii.l  whilr  \u-  ua>  a  -.imi.!.-  .  h-rk  at   l.ntt.rworth.     'I'o 
attiinpt.  to  |Hr>i>f,  to  aH'n.nt  mijii>t  power,  aixl  to  >taii.l  in 
his  own  ph,,.'  faithful  to  what  h.- lM.|i,.v..|.  wa-  hal.itiial  with 
him.  an.l  (ooMitnt.'.l  him  an  r\anipl<-  of  >;.-miiiu"  umitiu'ss. 
Ml-  wa.  fnrtlur  .li^tinKlli^h(•(l  for  an  in.lomital.lr  will,  whidi 
harmoni/r.l   hi,  ,tr.m^'  and  varic.l  ph.  an.l  .lir.-.tc.l  them 
upon  ,|H'(ifi<  linrs  ,,i  a.tion.     Aini.l  thi-  mirr  an.l  malignancy 
of   Ins  .nvironmcnt,   Uv    ini^h..!   oiiwani    and   ,l,.an-<l    thV 
path    for    thoM-    who    had    h.>,    inilialivr.     Mis    contt-miMH 
rarirs    w.rc   aware    of    tlii>   d.-tfrminatioii,   and    his   ahlt-st 
nppoiiMit.  Ar.hliishop  Conrtenay.  was  wary  in   his  dralin^rs 
with   on,-u|i,.,n    he    kn.u    to   Im-  as  immoval.h' as    himself. 
If  there  wa>  in   \V>,Mtle  any  rehi.tance  to   fa.e  ol.iioxious 
<intim>tan(r^,  he  M'Idoin  iMTiiiitted  it    to  apin-ar.      huletl, 
he  jireferred  thoM' dan;:eron-.  pursuit>  from  whi<h  prndenee 
would  ln\r  retreated,  .ind  the  greater    the   ri>k.    the   more 
rea.ly    ,eeni.d    hi,    ni..l.TtakinK.     Thi-   liarddio.«l    was   not 
stimulated   l.y  any  o|)timi>tie  outlook;    few  <lear-eve<l  men 
were  optimists  after  the  HIa.  k  Death  and   its  eon,e(pieiiees. 
Laii>;Iand  a^sert.d  that  -the  last  stron;:h..ld  of  ('hristianitv 
had   alreadv    MKrninI.ed   to  the  assaiilis  <.f  AntiehriM   and 
the    teachin-s    of    the    friars.       Ileiueforth    his    pattern    of 
simph'   faith.   Tiers    I'h.wman,  miiM   >hake  the  dii>t  (.f  the 
p.ist    from    his   f<rt  and  wander  forth  alone  ill  search  of  the 
Christ   that   is  to  I.,-."  '     K\en  Chaucer,  who  Moo.1  ah)iie  in 
his  iiuNpli.  al.le  Imoyancy.  struck  a  less  cheerful  note  in  his 
latest    soni;.      \Vy,  jitr,.   anti.ipate.l    l.aii>;land.   an.l    .leelare.l 
that   thc('hiirch   w..iild    iiev.-r   he    reforine.l    except    hy    the 
eonjuiiiti.Mi  of  an  irrcM^tihle  nioveiiuMit  fr.un  within  iind  a 
heroicai  pr.->ur.'  fn.m  with..ut.     Half  th.-  truth  of  this  asser- 
ti..n  was  |.rc..ptihle  to  hi>  visi.m.  hut  the  remain.ler  wa.s  not. 


illoll 


Iniii]  S|.  rr;iMiH  ti)  Uuiiti'",    p.  ;)ji). 


f      I 


.I<)ll\    VVV<l.iKKK 


101 


He  saw  that  iiicii  IiikI  Ih^iiii  !<•  pavs  flu-ir  a<  ciistotiMd  \u>mu\- 
iri«'s  and  tii  Hii.l  ntliir  fran  aritl  Ii..|ms  fan'\(«f.liiiK  the  >;riff> 

icir  cxiiaii^inii 


am 


I  jo\>  tllf.v    knew.      Hut  lie  <li<l  liiit  f<.r«>fc  tl 


into  a  friT.lorii  «lii.li  ...iiM  .li>,|Mii-.'  «itli  narrow  (ri»(|,  an<l 
s.h<.la>tic  inf.TimtMtiMii-..  nnr  n-r  U<  an  a|)|.r.-lMriM..n  (if  that 
x-arch  fur  ^mmI  luf.ir.  whiih  Mi<h  fnrnnihirif^  failc  awav. 
Vtt  .h-j.Mfiun  n.vir  ini|K-i|nl  hi,  .•llorfs,  arid.  >..  Car  as  tUr 
ininicdiatf  fntiirr  \\a- .nn.rriad,  hi>  wisd.mi  ua,  ju-tihrd 
h.s  hi-  arc  nrair  prrdi.  ti..n  ..f  thr  tnaihlo  which  fVII  n|Miii 
(  hri-tcniliiin. 

Mat. rial  f..r  \..liiin«-.  ..f  diM|ni-iti..ti>  npon  ju>tiir  and 
ri).'htf<.iiMi.vs,  ur  upon  <■, ,  |.M.-,,ti.  al  and  |K>hti<'al  p|..t>  and 
i'i.nnttr-p|..t>.  .an  .iiMl.v  !..•  ..Iiiaiiicl  fr.an  a  -.tn.ly  ..I"  hi> 
writing.  'I'h.ir  tr.atrn.nt  ,<<  lUr^r  is^a',  is  far  niiirc  akin 
t<.   the   pr..lih-nis   ..f  ..iir  pn.rali.ai    than   ar.'   his  a<<piiri- 

nuiit-  in   th.-  S<h..la-ti(  i>ni  h.-  .Npinniil..!.  an.l  fr whi.h 

hf  cMil.l  n.vcr  M|)arat.'  hi-  rn...!.- ..f  tlinn;:ht.     Hnt  tl >;h 

he  wa-  n..i  th.'  int.ll..  tnal  ..pial  ..f  the  -r.at.T  S.  h....lnu'n, 
and  it  i-.  vain  t<.  ..anparc  him  with  th.'  pr.-initr  thinker- 
of  the  Mid.ilc  .\p>.  n.\.rihcl.—.  in  th.'  o|)inion  ..f  tho-c 
Iwst  (pialili.'.l  to  jn.iut'  h.'  \\a-  .hii'lix  important  hcraii-c  of 
thr  wri^rht  an.l  .M.nt  of  hi-  l.arninu.  il.'-..ar.'d  faraliovc 
t>th.'r-  in  the  ranij.  .-f  hi-  ;;.'nin-  ;ini|  -urpa-cl  th.'in  in  th.- 
profiin.lity  of  hi-  kn.mh'd-c.  Sulli.i.tit  .'v  iil.n.r  to  confirm 
this  lias  airca.ly  hctn  .piot.d  fnan  hi-  .  .intcmp..raric-. 
who  were  a>.'rcc.l  that  in  phil..-..ph\ .  tla'..l..(.'y,  ami  famil- 
iarity with  the  S.  riptnn-  he  ha.l  no  livini;  .'(pial.  S.  lio- 
lasti.'isin  \\a-  in  it-  r.-.c-ion  wh.'n  h.'  arriv.'.l  n|)on  the 
seem  ;  y.'t  Wyrlitre'-  a-i.hiity  -o  r.-.lcem.d  what  oppor- 
tiniities  were  l.ft  a-  t.>  -ernre  him  thi-  emiian.c.  'I'h, 
limitati.)!!-  of  the  nu'taphy-ic  in  which  he  wronnlit  were 
sla.wn  in  the  fart  tliat  m.'n  aruu.'d  hr-t  and  ihon-lit  aft.'r- 
ward-.  Hi-  formal  tr.atnani  of  eertjin  them.'-  moved  in  a 
eir.le.  atal  it  ua-  .ini\  when  he  rea.h.'.l  th.'  <pi.-ti,,i,  I,,. 
•  loired  to  |)r..\e  tiiat  lu'  .li-piay.-.!  an  intelle.tnal  xi^'or  and 
ea.-c  which   th.' ilmn-iiu'--  of  hi>   ineth...!- coni.l    no   longer 


i 


«* 


fi 


MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION    TEST   CHAKT 

ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2 


A     APPLIED  IN4/1GE     Ir 


'^6|    '.82       0  500       P^or 
'■6:    ;88  -    ^9R9       fa. 


ii 


II 


•  f 


? 


162      THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 

conwal.     Here  tlie  keenness  of  his  mind  and  his  strategical 
handlnig  of  arguments  for  attack  or  defense,  while  .lerived 
from  the  disciphne  of  the  Schools,  went   far  l)evon(l  them 
and  transferred  Inm  into  the  region  of  the  reformer. 

Passing  from  his  intellectual  (lualities  to  liis  services  as  a 
(  hristian  patriot,  it  is  relevant  to  say  that  his  differentiat- 
ing principle  was  the  <lcpendence  of  the  individual  soul  upon 
God  alone.     This  .loctrine,  which  assigned  to  everv  single 
person  an  equal  place  in  the  regard  of  Deitv,  containe.l  the 
seed  of  .lestruction  for  the  carefully  gra.le.l  hierarchies  of 
the  .Middle  Ages.     It  sounds  trite  to  our  ears  since  custom 
lias  deprned  it  of  freshness  and  force.     Hut  the  prelates  who 
resisted  ,t  .hd  so  because  they  recognize.l  in  its  implications 
the  handwriting  on  the  walls  of  their  lordly  houses.    Wyclilfe 
transferred  the  conception  from  religion,  to  politics,  and  the 
resu  t  was  that  he  fell  into  those  para.loxes  which  perph-xed 
his  friends  and   assisted   his  foes,     ^'et  even  here  the  for- 
mula has  still  to  be  reckoned  with  ;   for,  though  it  is  not  the 
hnal  expression  of  the  truth,  it  must  be  hehl  as  a  depository  of 
%vhat  truth  It  contained,  that  this  may  be  used  as  a  means  for 
new  light  upon  the  relations  of  character  to  material  posses- 
sions. 

Wycliffe's  thunderings  against  medieval  authority  should 
be  estimated  in  the  light  of  the  fact  that  rulers  were  unaware 
ot  the  distinction  between  civil  an.l  religious  liberty  as  a 
principle  and  as  an  actual  achiexement.     The  fact,  if  not  the 
theory,  they  were-  compelled  to  accept  at  spasmodic  intervals 
as  an   unwelcome  intruder  into  a   well-ordered   condition 
Kings  and  popc^s  granted  it,  but  in  r.-alitv  it  was  the  force  ..f 
circumstances  which  gaxe  it,  an.l  .,hat  were  deemed  conces- 
sions  from  abo\e  were  really  concjucsts  from  below      The 
government  of  (  hristian  .States  rested  on  an  absolutism  which 
tlatiy  contradicted  the  democracy  of  the  New  Testament 
and  \\ydii\\'  was  too  close  a   Biblical  student  not  to  know' 
Its  plain  teachings.     Codes,  statute^,   franchises,  charters 
dispensations,  and  similar  instruments  were  freciuently  ex- 


I 


^1 


JOHN  wyclifp^p: 


163 


a 


torted  by  force,  or  procure.!  hy  money  i)ayiiieiits  to  needy 
exeliequers.     Occasionally  tliey  were  regarded  as  fragments 
of  a  larger  freedom  not  yet  evolved  out  of  the  surroundinjj 
confusion.  i)ut  never  acknowledfrcd  l,y  the  governing  powers 
as   a   fundamental   social    necessity.     Wyelitle   was  slirew<l 
enough  to  detect  this  temper  in  the  princes,  bishops,  and 
nohles,  and  if  he  did  not   iierceive  it  with  the  lucidity  of 
]\Iarsifrlio,  yet  his  sjieculatioiis  were  sufficiently  incisive  to 
disturb  those  who  regarded  his  theory  of  lordsl'iip  as  a  fore- 
runner of  anarchy  and  madness.     Further,  these  views,  how- 
ever visionary,  were  the  stimulus  for  those  active  mental 
ami  moral  processes  by  w  hich  he  sought  to  attain  beneficial 
results,  and  which  saved  him  from  ending  in  a  morass  of 
impossibilities.     He  called  upon  the  students  of  Oxford  to 
renounce  the  grandiose  puerilities  of  a   barren  curriculum 
and  occupy  themsehes  with  solid  and  useful  verities.      The 
exhortation  was    enforce<l    by  his   own   researches   l)e\-on(l 
lordship  in  the  State  into  the  baseless  assumptions  'of  a 
sacerdotal  hierarchy,  whose  pretensions  he  met,  as  we  ha\e 
said,  with  his  exposition  of  the  theory  of   the  immediate 
dependence  of  the  in<lividual  soul  upon  (iod  ;  a  relation  which 
needed  no  priestly  mediation  and  to  which  the  Sacraments  of 
the  ('hurch,  however  <lesirai)le  and  edifying,  were  not  abso- 
lutely necessary.'     Hut  powerful  minds  are  not  alwavs  safe 
minds,  and  when  he  divorced  tli.  idea  of  the  Church  from  any 
connection  with  its  official  or  formal  constitution,  he  advo- 
cated an  impossible  radicalism  which  verified  his  description 
of  himself  as  one  who  "stanuncred  out  many  things  he  was 
unable  clearly  to  make  good." 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  the  typical  religion 
which  rises  above  changes  of  earth,  above  schools  of  the- 
ology, above  conflicting  doctrines;  the  religion  which  is 
created  by  a  nwin's  realization  that  as  man  he  must  stand 
face  to  face  with  the  Supreme  Heing,  and  that  God  has 
given  him   his  manhood    for   this  .specific  purpose,  —  was 

'  Eucy'lo|)if<li;i   Uiitaiiiiic:i :     I  Itli  clition  :    ;irti(l.>  on   Wyclifle. 


i 
il 

i  • 

i! 

if 

I:: 


i! 


\i 


« 


i  \ 


ii 


1 

} 

i 

5 

f- 

[\ 

l(i4      THRKK    KKLIOIOUS    LKADKUS   OK   OXFOKD 

WycIitlV's,  his  iiiifiiiliiijr  sdiircc  of  confidciKr  iiiid  of  Iiojh'. 
His  virtiic-i  ^tooil  liij;!)  in  the  ctliical  scale,  and  the  inotivt's 
wliicli  iiisi)irci|  his  coiKhict  \\vn\  as  a  rule,  unini.M'd.  The 
Kri)ss  anil  open  iiiiiiiorality  then  prcvah'iit  did  not  tonch 
him,  i-vcn  In  runior,  (o  snil.v  his  priesthood,  and  apart  from 
politics,  no  compromise  with  \\ron<;  lias  heeii  laid  to  his 
charjie.  Amonu  his  contemporaries  his  influence  corre- 
sponded with  the  elevation  of  his  character  and  the  large- 
ness of  his  mind.  '\"et  he  could  not  i)ersiiade  a  comparatively 
primitive  society  w  hose  spiritualities  had  heen  nourished  hy 
that  marvel  of  constnictioii,  the  do>;ma,  ritual,  and  liturgy 
of  Roman  Christianity  in  the  Middle  A>;es,  to  turn  at  imt^ 
to  his  purer  and  more  exactiiiu  creed. 

Hut  the  irresistible  forces  of  Time  were  enlisted  in  hehalf  of 
his  teachinfj,  while  the  convictions  of  his  countrymen  have 
uioved  tow  anl  its  more  refined  articles  and  away  from  dwarfed 
finalities  whose  leaden,  motionless  infallihility  arrests  change 
by  destroying;  life.     He  was  brought  into  <(.)ntact  with  issues 
which  could  not  be  discussed  without  differences  nor  settled 
without  leaving  in  the  conclusions  the  leaven  of  some  error. 
The  difficult  role  of  the  cleric  in  politics  was  not  undertaken 
without  risk  to  his  reimtation,  but  here  the  sturdiness  which 
was  inimical  to  his  statesmanship  served  him  well,  in  that  it 
prevented  him  from  making  final  shipwreck  of  his  honor. 
\enoinous  misrepresentation   was  heaped   upon   his  public 
acts;    he  was  in  no  way  idealized   by  what  was  said  about 
him  after   he  was  gone.     His  memory  was  either  left   to 
the  mercies  of  a  rabid  ecclesiasticism.  jeidous  for  its  corpo- 
rate  i)()W(Ts  and   i)ri\ileges.  or  connected  with  a  despised 
and  obscure  grouj)  of  sectaries  which  dwindled  to  extinction 
under  perse -ution  and  its  own  fanaticisms.     In  his  earlier 
ilays  a  i)luralist,  a  beneficiary  of  the  Crown,  and  an  associ- 
ate of  the  Lancastrian  party,  in  his  later  years  he  si)urne(l 
higher  rewards  within   the  compass  of  his  talents  because 
their  acceptance  would  have  involved  a  sacrifice  of  i)rinciple. 
Thus  the  gulf  between  preferment  and  his  own  self-respect 


H 


JOHN-    WVCLIFFE 


105 


had  widt'tied,  nor  would  he  hridnc  it  by  botrayal.  lie 
supported  the  jx-asants  in  their  revolt  against  the  festering 
abuses  and  inicpiities  of  their  rulers,  and  the  deprivations 
which  ensued  redounded  to  his  credit  and  usefulness. 

The  approval  of  tlie  inward  monitor,  the  transjiition  of  the 
Bible  which  he  loved  and  venerated,  the  ministrations  of  jiis 
parish  and  tlie  direction  of  his  poor  priests  afforded  him  en- 
joyments beyond  those  he  had  forfeited.     Hesides,  Wycliffe 
was  built  for  battle,  and  for  him  t()  renounce  patroiiaf,'e  was 
less  difficult  than  to  abstain  from  onslaughts  upon  sordid 
wrongs.     If  we  are  safe  in  l)elie\  ing  the  evil  which  men  assert, 
not  of  their  antagonists,  but  of  their  companions,  then  cleri- 
cal avarice,  luxury,  sinumy,  and  similar  works  of  darkness 
abounded  in  high  places  and  under  tiie  disguise  of  spiritual 
authority.     Against  tiiese,  the  wearisome  reiteration  of  which 
would   fall  short   of  their  actual  extent,  he  waged   a  good 
warfare,  and  in  adversity  he  kept  a  high  mien  which  di.scon- 
certed  his  adversaries.      Tlie  reaction  against  the  I'apacy, 
which  began  in  the  reign  of  Henry  III,  reached  its  high-water 
mark  in  .lohn  \Vy<Iiffe.  and.  though  a  subsidence  followed, 
it   increased    the   independence  of  the   nation   and  created 
precedents   for   a    larger    freedom.      His   final    months   of 
earthly  life  ran  their  course  unvexed  ;    a  certain  grandeur 
overspread  the  man.  who  seemed  to  gather  to  himself  in  that 
sunset  calm  those  loftier  hopes  and  fulfilments  which  have 
made  his  memory  the  treasured  heritage  of  a  nation  excep- 
tionally rich  in  such  becpiests.     His  dust  escaped  the  hate  of 
ignominious  reactionaries  and   has  the  world  for  its  tomb, 
though  he  needed  neither  tomb  nor  epitaph  to  guard  a  name 
than  which  no  braver  glows  in  the  golden  roll  of  English 
sires. 

El'IUMil  K 

Those  who  approach  the  study  of  the  later  medieval  period 
in  England  through  the  poetry  (.f  Chaucer  or  the  glorie>  of 
Gothic  arcliitecture  may  find  it  difficult  to  reconcile  the  joy- 


I' 


I' 


166 


THREE    RELIC. lOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


^  \ 


1 

1 
ft 

i 

/' 

i 

i 

i 

: , 

11 


ous  and  sublinu-  triiiinpli  of  these  master  works  with  the 
physical  and  moral  wretchedness  of  the  populace  we  have 
depicted.     The  fourteenth  century  Church  which  Wycliffe 
pronounced  abandoned  and  deK«-neratc  could  still  erect' those 
exquisite  cathedrals  and  abbeys  whi<h  are  to-<lav  the  monu- 
ments of  her  religious   culture.     If   anywhere 'there   were 
sermons  in  stones,  capturiuK  the  ima>;ination  to  an  extent 
that  can  be  claimed  by  few  l)uildinKs  in  the  world,  they 
were  found    in   (Iloucester's   reconstructed    i)ile,   in    Abbot 
Litlinjiton's  additions  at   Westminster,   and   in  the  trans- 
formation of  the  K'reat  Hall  of  Hufus  by  Richard  II.     But  the 
marks  of  decadence  were  on  them,  and,  though  its  progress 
was  slow,  the  change  which  reduced  the  free  and  flowing  lines 
of  the  earlier  C.othic  to  the  stiff  utilitarianism  of  the  later 
style  was  already  in  process  and  continued  during  the  life- 
tmie  of  Wycliffe.      Nor  did  their  fascinations  satisfy  men's 
cravmgs  for  a  more  spiritual  setting  of  the  (  hristian  faith 
than  "  long  drawn  aisles  and  fretted  vaults  "  supplv.     Seekers 
after  God  turned  from  their  cloying  beauties  and  from  the 
elaborate  rituals  they  housed,  as  they  had  turned  from  the 
subtleties  of  academic  argument.     Wydilfe,  although  gi^•en 
to  a  proper  ceremonialism,  showed  scantv  appreciation  for 
these  holy  fanes.      They  were  memorable  achievements,  but 
the  worl.l  couhl  not   Hnc  by  them.     .Sculptures,   however 
s.;iiin.lly  wrought,  were  not  the  brca<l  of  Heaven;   not  the 
rciuit.es  upon  which  piety  must  feed  to  live.     Intonings  and 
-bantings  had  not  increased  the  morality  of  the  worshipers. 
1  heir  constant  repetiti.m  <lulled  the  hearing  of  the  heart  and 
sacred  offices  hardened  upon  the  accustomed   min.l   like  a 
shell.     He  qu<.ted  St.  Augustine's  .lictum-"As  often  as 
tiic  song  dehghtcth  me  more  than  that  is  songen,  so  oft  do 
1   acknowledge  that  I   trespass   grievously "- against  the 
endless  array  of  veste<l  priests  and  choristers  who  enlisted 
llie  senses  at  the  cost  of  the  spirit. 

But  although    he  was  the  chief  contemporarv  Englishman 
who  berated  such  cherished  ways  of  worship,  and  also  op- 


\v 


JOHN    WYCLIFFE 


167 


a 


r< 


posed  the  hierarchical  control  of  the  State,  he  did  so  without 
rightly  estimating  their  latent  usefulness,  and  his  proposals 
for  their  abolition  failed  because  they  were  premature  in 
origin  and  negative  in  character.     It  has  been  pertinently 
observed   that   it  was    the    misfortune  of   his   position  to 
have  to  attack  abuses  at  a  time  when  their  abolition  was 
but  too  likely  to  be  followed  by  worse  abuses,  and  to  de- 
fend the  rights  of  the  State  at  a  time  when  its  rights  were 
likely  to  be  asserted  in  practice  for  the  satisfaction  of  a 
clique  of  nobles  more  greedy,  more  unscrupulous,  and  more 
incompetent   than  the  respectable  ecclesiastical  statesmen 
in  whom  Wyditt'e  saw  no  good  thing.     The  governing  classes 
were  aware  that  the  modifications  and  balances  afterwards 
introduced  to  adjust  the  relations  of  Church  and  State  had 
as  yet  found  no  place  in  English  law.     Nor  could  the  towns 
and  cities,  those  repositories  of  a  larger  freedom,  advance  the 
Reformer's  schemes,  since  they  were  fully  occupied  in  pro- 
tecting their  civic  interests.     The  peasants  and  artisans  to 
whom  he  appealed  in  his  extremity  were  deprived  of  any 
means  for  an  etiective  response.     Hence  he  attempted  to 
pluck  the  fruit  before  it  was  ripe;   the  experiments  in  de- 
mocracy which  he  advocated,  if  they  had  been  carried  out, 
would  have  turned  back  by  centuries  the  hands  of  the  clock. 
He  saw  the  needs  of  the  present,  and  to  some  extent  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  future,  but  he  did  not  sufficiently  esteem  the 
spirit  of  the  past  from  which  they  could  not  be  separated  if 
they  were  to  be  satisfied.     Constructive  policies  were  abso- 
lutely essential  in  dealing  with  the  great  fabric  which  previ- 
ous ages  had  reared  with  untold  pains  and  sacrifices.     These 
policies  were  not  forthcoming,  and  the  Reformer  mediated 
between  the  methods  he  condemned  an<l  those  he  could  not 
fully  formulate.     Thinker  thougli  he  was,  his  first  principles 
were  sometimes  far  from  cohesive ;    on  si)ecific  questions  his 
was  toooften  the  logic  that  flourishedin  seclusion  but  withered 
in  the  open.     It  shouM  be  added  that  he  indulged  no  roseate 
dreams  about  victory ;   on  the  contrary,  he  never  concealed 


i 


1()8 


TIIKKK    HKMCIOI'S    I.KADKRS  OF   OXFORD 


is 

f 

'  s 
i 
t 


1 1! 


from  hiiusdr  nor  frnn,  ..tluTs  tlu-  '•-.relKKlinK  tl„U  their  joint 
ffforts  uoul.i  I,,.  ,|d.-at,..|  h.hI  ,|,iv,.„  hack.  His  strength 
was  foun,  ,„  the  faith  h.  ha.l  i„  truth  an.l  riKhteousness. 
And  m  this  tcnipor.  ni<.ri.  manly  an.l  deserving  tlmn  the 
art.h,mlc„uraKi-  which  is  kin,lio.|  l.y  success,  he  l,ure  a  brave 
front  and  wrought  vahantly. 

Some  of  his  former  companions  in  tribuhition  were  after- 
wani  tormentors  of  the  Lolh.rds  who  inheritecl  his  teaching- 
one  of  these  backsliders.  I'hiH,,  l{epy„K<h,n.  became  Bishop 
of  Lmcoln  and  a  ('ardinal  of  the  Church.     This  prdate  hu- 
manely refused  to  «,bey  the  offi.ial  order  from  the  (\,uncil  of 
(  onstance  .(.mman.IinK  that  the  bones  of  hi.;  old  master  be 
exhunu-d  an<i  burned.     Nicholas  Hereford  also  recanted  his 
JVvchffian  opm.ons,  and.  last  an<l  most  melancholy,  John 
1  urvey.  whoha.l  been  so  closely  i.lentihed  with  the  Heformer's 
dearest  hopes  and  labors,  and  to  whose  gifts  was  <lue  the 
revision  of  the  first  version  of  the  Wycliffe  Bible,  revealed 
the  untrustworthiness  of  scholastic  Lollardism  by  his  abjura- 
tion of  the  cause  in  which  he  had  been  a  lea.ler.     He  after- 
wards   repented  of    his  cowardice,   recalled    his  reereancv 
and  disappeared  from  view.     Willian.  Thorpe,  a  more  honoV- 
able  man,  kept  the  faith,  enduring  imprisonment  in  l.W  and 
agam  in   1407.  and   on   being  brought  before  Archbi.shop 
Arun,lel,  gave  the  Primate  a  moving  account  of  his  own  life 
an.  witnessed  that  hist.Ti.- ...nfession  for  WvcHHV  fr„„,  which 
wehavealrea.lyquote.l.    But  the  Lollanis  gra.luallv  perished 
the  I  n.versity  relinquishcl  its  har.l-won  rights  anil  returne.! 
to  the  bosom  of  the  Chur.h.  an.l  .luring  the  ,KTJure,l  an.l 
disgraceful  reign  ..f  Henry  W  the  hea.ls  of  ...lleges  became  the 
persecuting  agents  .,f  tiu-  bishops.     Shakespeare  ma.le  that 
unhappy  monar.h.  the  son  of  .John  of  (Jaunt,  .lenounce  his 
own  career,   when   he  .rie.l   out  that   (Jod   knew  bv   what 
orooke,!  means  he  ha.l  ..btaincl  tlu-  ..r.,w„.  an.l  c.,ntinue.l. 
I  myself  know  well  h..w  troublesome  it  sat  upon  mv  hea.l  " 
He  rests  beiu^.th  the  infamy  of  being  the  first  English  king 
who  burn.Hl  his  snbj.vts  in  the  nan..-  „f  r.-JiKJon.     This  policy 


iH 


JOHN    VVVCMKKK 


KM) 


S 


i 

1 


could  not  einlun-,  ami  aftt-r  an  iiKcrxal  tl\f  iM'rs««iitions  of  liis 
successor,  Marn  of  A^inrourt,  and  of  Archhishop  Arundel, 
wore  quietly  aliandoncd,  aItliou>;h  such  was  not  the  case  until 
VVycliUV's  mission  was  a|)pareiitly  ohiiterated  in  Knj;land. 

Hut  if  his  opinions  were  suhducd  in  his  native  luiul,  they 
rose  again  in  Hohetnia,  an<l  the  account  of  their  revival  in 
southeastern  Kurojjc  is  ainonj,'  the  dramatic  |)hases  of  I'rot- 
cstant  history.  John  Hus  and  Jerome  of  Prague  contiimed 
there  the  enterprise  WyclitVe  had  hegun  at  Oxford  and  Lutter- 
worth. Hus  olitained  iiis  forerunner's  manuscript  works 
through  scholars  who  came  t(.  Kngland  with  (^ucen  Anne 
of  Mohemia,  the  consort  of  Kichard  11,  and,  while  this  in- 
fluential disciple  did  not  accept  ail  his  master's  teachings, 
he  raised  their  essentials  to  the  dignity  of  a  national  faith. 
Ilis  tracts,  pamphlets  and  hooks  were  copied  (/Avm/m(;  rerhti 
from  Wyclirte's  works  and  freely  circulated  among  the  people 
of  tliat  distant  land.  .\n  Knglishman  whoheanl  the  exami- 
nation of  Hus  before  the  Couiu-il  of  Constance,  which  con- 
demned and  burned  him,  declared  that  he  thought  he  saw 
standing  before  him  "the  very  Wyclitfe."  It  required  little 
stretch  of  imagination  to  see,  looming  in  the  background,  the 
majestic  shade  of  that  great  Knglishman  "for  whose  doctrine 
Hus  went  to  the  stake."  Their  memories,  with  Luther's, 
are  en.shrined  in  three  medallions  at  the  I'liivcrsity  of  Prague, 
w  liicli  depict  the  evolution  of  Protestantism  for  a  century  and 
a  half,  from  the  Anglican  Scholastic  through  the  Hohe- 
mian  martyr  to  the  (lerman  Titan.  Tlie  first  show  s  WycliH'e 
striking  gleaming  sparks  from  a  flint;  the  second,  Hus 
kindling  the  coals  with  the  sjjarks ;  the  third,  Luther  bearing 
a  blazing  torch  he  has  lit  at  their  fires. 


Throughout  this  n-view  we  have  seen  that  belief  in 
liberty  as  an  essential  part  of  the  good  of  all  things,  and 
<lread  of  liberty  as  a  dangerous  innovation,  were  then,  as 
they  are  now,  the  polar  instincts  meeting  there,  as  every- 


, 


I;  1 1 


n 


1 


i 


170 


li  ' 


i     i 


I  ! 


lU 


!. 


Hi 


THHKK    HKLKJIors   LKADKItS  OK   OXFORD 


where,  m  .eastless  a..taK„nisi„.  The  rulers  of  the  periwl 
« m.  ,nte,.t  .>„  se,.nri„«  its  aims  an.l  i.leals  in  their  own^v^ 
b>  the  eons„h,h.tmn  ..f  Church  a.ul  State,  an.l  the  preserx;^ 
t..>n  of  that  loyalty  to  Loth  upon  uhieh.  as  thev^  H  all 
v^dfare  here  „n.l  hereafter  alike  ,le,>en.le.l.  "Obedien,;"" 
the  hrst  lesson  u,  .so,,al  progress,  ami  this  lesson  was  well 
worth  learning,  even  though   it  t.K.k  centuries  to  „u,k     it 

tT ' h  i't  '    l?'^ 'T "'":"'-^'"« *'"•  '^-'y •'^»"' ti-ue of 

It  at  the  Imsis  of  social  progress.     The  ("hureh  may  oerish 
bu    the  ps.ye hie  qualities  it  ereatecJ  will  endure  1?  lu^^gt 
European  eivihzation.  ' '  * 

suffieienir  ?'"'. ''''?  ^^''^-'^'"'"•^'"'«^^  «'"'  -If-control  were 
sufhnently  .leve  oped  to  attack  with  succ^-ss  the  evils 
\Vvd,fre  deplored,  and  the  failure  of  the  Hon.an  Church    o 

as  uel    as    hat  of  rd.gion.     I'rotestantis.n  consecrated  the 

home  he  ot  the  people,  enforced  the  Ten  ( 'onnnanc  nents 

put  the  ban  upon  lawless  conununal  pleasures,  and  ren.indec 

men  and  won..,  that  they  could  attain  sainthood  hT  li"  ng 

he  world  rather  than  fleeing  fron.  it.     The  n.ention  W  thest 

thn.gs  does   not  detract  from  the  inestimable  worth  tt!.d 

jntual  c  .aracter  of  other  and  ,nore  fan.iliar  caus.    t^^ 

also  contributed  to  the  san.e  result,  but  thev  are  en.phas   ed 

for  the  reason  that  they  have  not  always  r^-ceived  1  '  Zte 

oons.d..rat.on.     The  Gern.an  HefornuUion  was  the  out  "  .  : 

of  an  ethKal  qu.te  as  much  as  of  a  theological  revolt.      Wlu'^ 

souls  had  kept  their  vig.l.  and  that  the  succession  of  the  trulv 
apostohc  order  had  ne^  er  been  entirely  broken.      Ip  that  sue' 

Jor^^^lT'r^.'T''  ^"'T'  "'""''''  ^"  ^''"''^  '•i«ht  hand, 
serviceable  member  during  the  later  medieval  period. 


JOHN    WVCLIFFK 


171 


B 


Him.KXMlAPHY 

For  a  srholarly  and  autlu.ritativc  siu.ly  of  W.vHiffe  and  liis  times 
the  stiidriit  U  strongly  rcrorriimtidcd  ti.  roiinult  'The  Dawn  of  the 
KefDrinaiioii,"  l.y  ll.-rlirrt  U.  Workiimn,  M.A.,  I).  I,it.,  of  Westminster 
Collcjji',  liondon. 

AcT.ix,  I,uui).     History  of  Freedom  nnd  Other  Essays. 

A(  TON,  LuHl).      Historical  Kssiiys  mid  Studies. 

Acio.v,  LiiKi).     lATtiires  oti   Modern   History. 

Ai(MiT.\(iK-S\inii,  .SvDNKv,    .lolii,  ,,f  (;„unt.  " 

ItoAsK,  CnAKi.KH  W.     Oxford  (Histirie  Towns  .Series). 

nituuiiK  K,  H..N.  (iKuiii.K  C.     A  History  of  the  Iniversity  of  Oxford. 

C'ai'Ks,  W.  W.     Tlie  Knxlish  (  Inireh  in  the  Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth 


Centuries. 
Cahhk  K.  .}.  ('. 

("oi  i.Tos,  (;.  (; 

t'ori.TllN,  (i.  (J 


C"KKr(illTl)N,   HlSIKU-   Mandki.i.. 

('kkkihtov,  Hisiiiu-  Mandki.i,. 

CuKKiirrus,  Hisiiiti'  Mandki.i.. 

CHKKiiiTiiN,  Hi.siiiii'  Mandki.i.. 

CHKKiirroN,  Hisiiui-  Mandki.i.. 


Wyeliffe  and  tlie  Ix)n»rds. 
Chiiucer  and  his  Knghind. 
From  St.  Fnincis  to  Dante. 

Historieal  Fssnys  and  Reviews. 
Historieal    I.eetures    and    Addres.ses. 
History  of  tlie  I'apury. 
IVrs<"eutioii  and  Tolerance. 
Simon  de  Montfort. 
Dkntun,  \V.     KiiKlanil  in  the  Fifteentli  Century. 
EnnirhlKrdia  liritwinirii.     Article  on  Wyeliffe.     \'ol.  XXVIII.     11th 

e<lition. 
FuKTKS(  IE,   .\dhiaN.      'i'hc  Mass. 

GAsyiET,  Cakdina!..    Tlie  HIack  Death. 

GA.s<iLKT,  Cakdinal.     Kngiisli  Monastic  Life. 

Glllii,  Ni(  iiDLAS.     The  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

Gheen,  .Vlice  S.    Town  Life  in  the  Fifteenth  Century. 

(Jreen,  .IciHN   HiciiAHD.     O.xford  Studies. 

(iitEKN,  .John  Uk  hakd.     Siiort  History  of  the  Knglish  People. 

(;kibi)I.e,  Fkancis.     The  Uomance  of  tlie  Oxford  Colleges. 

(JilzoT,  M.     Tlie  History  of  KiiKlaiid,  \ol.  L 

Hahnack.  Adokk.    History  of  Dogma. 

Hai{NA(  K,  Aix.i.K.     Hil.ic  ijcadiiiK  in  the  Early  Church. 

Hendeksdn,  E.  F.    fE<litor).     SeliMt    Historical    Documents   of   the 

Middle  Ak'cs. 
Jessoi'P,  ArciisTrs.     The  Coming  of  the  Friars,  and  other  Historical 

Essays. 
Ju&SERA\D,  ,1.  H.     English    WiiyfaiinK    Life    in    the    Middle    Ages. 

(Fourteenth  centiirvi. 


?! 


■\\\: 


il 


m 


■  f 


!  'I 

i 


172     TIIUKK    UELKIIOUH   LKAUKUs  OF  ()XK()IU> 
I-.H  Kf    (  UNION.     1 1,,.  Ak'i-  ..I  il...  (;r,.«f  W,.„rrn  Shi.m 

•'MAN.   (  IIAKI.KH.       Ihr  (irtHt   l{.v..|t  .if  KM 

I'.HMK    l{K.;,NA..,  I  ANK.      Wv.liff..  m,.|  M„v,.,n..ni.  f„r  lM„„n 
lUiT.  KuMK...   S.     |.if..  i„  ,1...  M.,|i..,„i  I  „iv,.r,i,^ 
Kammav.  Slit  .Iamkm  II.     Th.-  Ai.K.vi,i  Ki.,,,irf     ' 
Hankk,  I,.  \.,N.     History  of  the  l'„,H.s.     \  ,,11 

""'.w'  vriTTw,'',^' ' ^  ■•'^^■■"••'- """"- 

H<M  K.  I).     IlirrurKi.i,  or  (In-  Holy  SmriW,..  of  tlu-  Mhss 
San,.ki,...n.  Ki.;a,,.     History  of  K,.k1,.„.|  „„.|  ,|...  „Hti.sl.  Kmpirr. 

Stkvk.NSoN.    KiiaMIs  S,      UolHTt  (;ross,t.st.- 

t'v"";  To  t."  u'r  "itr:'' •'■•-'"'•'-"  «oth-Hoii..w.. 

•  A>i,i.ii.  II.  ().     Ilic  MtMJH-vHl  Mind. 
'I'.. IT,  T.  V.     Th,.  History  of  KiiKJan-l.     \ol.  II 

IKKVKI.VAN    (iKomjK  Ma.  AIIAY.      KiikIh,,.!  i„  ,|„.  Akc  of  Wvrliffe 
Ninvknt.  M,  |{,     Tl»- Ak,.  of  HiM,.|,r,.ii.l.  ' 

VVahd,  Ai).»i,Hns  W.    ClmiK'iT 

W'.HKMAV.  Hkhmkht  M.     Th..  Dawn  of  the  hefor.imtion. 
WoHKViA.N,  Herbekt  H.    The  Kvolution  of  tho  M„na.sti<-  Ideal. 


B(X)K  II 
JOHN   WKSLEY 

AND 

THE  EIGHTEKNTII  CENTURY 


173 


M 


a 


hi  I 


M 


I*'! 


I  have  felt 
A  Presence  that  <hsturl)s  me  with  tlie  joy 
Of  elevated  thoiifrhts ;  a  sense  sul)liine 
Of  somethinR  far  .iiorc  .leei)lv  interfused, 
Whose  dwellinK  is  Hie  hght  of  setting  suns, 
And  the  round  cK-ean  and  the  hving  air 
And  the  blue  sky,  and  in  the  mind  of  man ; 
A  motion  an<l  a  -pirit,  that  iinjiels 
All  thinking  thiii,  .  all  objects  of  all  thought 
And  rolls  tlirough  all  things. 

VVoKBswoKTH  :  Lines  at  Tintern  Abbey. 


Li 

!  if 
I     t 


174 


il 


U 


CHAPTER  V 
ANCESTRY  AXI.  TRAINING 


175 


ll  (l\ 


A.VD  yet,  as  angels  in  some  brighter  dreams 

tall  to  the  soul  when  man  doth  sleep. 

So  some  strange  thoughts  transct>nd  our  wonted  themes. 

And  mto  glory  jjeep. 

Then  bless  thy  seeret  growth,  nor  catch 
At  noise,  but  thrive  unseen  iin<l  dumb; 
Keep  clean,  be  as  fruit,  earn  life,  and  watch 
Till  the  white-win^'cd  reapers  come. 

Hknry  Vacuhan  :   The  Sen!  (Irowing  Secretly. 

"But  Go.1,  Who  is  able  to  prevail,  wrestle,!  with  him;  marked 
nun  for  His  own. 

IzAAK  Walton. 


!  , 


176 


ill 


4 

t1 


rilAlTKIl  V 

ANCKSTUY    AM)    THAINIXfJ 

Itfligion  in  Knglumi  in  ilic  cinlitfcntli  cciitiin — Personality  the  deter- 
niiniiif;  factor  in  |)r<>j;r<"^s  -  Wrsicy's  l)irtti  iinil  anct'stry  —The  early 
years  at  Kpwortli  -The  Wesley  family  -The  Charterhouse  —  Ox- 
ford I'liiver^ity  -Wesley's  >elf-<>otiileiiination  —  Preparation  for  Holy 
Onlers  —His  OnlinatioTi  -  -  F,leete<l  Fellow  of  Lincoln  ("oIIckc  — 
Curate  of  Wroote  —  William  Law  ami  the  "Serious  Call" — Charles 
Wesley  at  Oxford  —The  "Holy  Clnh"  -Death  of  Samuel  Wesley 
—  The  Mission  to  (Jeorgia  —  ( ieneral  Ogletliori)e  —  The  Moravian 
Hrethrcn. 

I 

\Vk  (leal  in  these  chapters  with  the  history  of  an  almost 
unparalleled  transformation  of  the  Enjjlish  national  (  haraeter 
effeeted  under  the  impulse  of  a  revival  of  Christianity  which 
suhseciuently  spread  throughout  the  IJritish  Empire  and 
the  I'nited  States.  That  revival  was  preceded  hy  a  period 
of  spiritual  decline  and  moral  inertia  which  itself  had  fol- 
lowed the  brief  reign  of  Puritanism  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  The  clerfiymen  who  filled  the  pastoral  offices  of 
Anglicanism  or  of  Nonconformity  during  the  eighteenth 
century  were,  with  few  exceptions,  coii\inced  that  the  im- 
mediate, direct  action  of  the  living  God  upon  the  spirits 
of  men  was  practically  imjiossihle  in  reality  and  well  nigh 
hiasphemous  in  c(>nception.  They  differed  widely  about 
theological  systems  and  methoils  of  Church  organization, 
but  they  were  iniit<-d  in  relegating  the  intervention  of  Deity 
in  matters  of  personal  religion  eitlnT  to  tlie  far  past  or  to 
the  future  tiiat  lay  beyond  the  grave.  To  ward  otf  assaults 
upon  their  respective  institutions  and  beliefs  seemed  to  all 
alike  a  more  imperative  duty  than  to  contend  against  the 
N  177 


i'i. 


M 


if 
I 

i 


¥ 


I   hi: 


t : 


178      TIIRKE    RKLIOIOLS   LEADKHS   OF   OXFORD 

.leplorahio  vUv  an,!  crime  which  afFiictcl  society  on  every 
side.  he  re^reneratinjr  faith  ,.f  the  New  Testii.nent  was 
ol)scure.l  wh.ie  the  schoh.rship  an.I  energies  which  shouM 
have  heral.i..,!  .t  to  a  neclv  race  were  expen.h-.l  in  ^uaniinL- 
sectarian  prejudices  and  shiLhok-ths.  the  meanings  of  which 
were  not  alwavs  intenij;il)le. 

Vet  this  untoward  generation  pro(Uice(l  out  of  the  heart 
of  Anj;hcan>s„,  the  man  of  I'uritan  an.rstry  who  reaffirmed 
the  trutii  of  (,od  s  presence  in  His  children,  and  who  was  in- 
strumental n.  stmiulatiiiK  aii.l  or^anizinK  a  faith  which  rested 
upon   Christ  s   personal   word   and    self-communicated   life  ■ 
a  taith  that  could  not  he  depreciated  hy  controversy,  nor 
shocked    l.y   intellectual   changes,   nor  convulse.!   by  ".social 
upheavals ;    an  o\  ermastering  faith,  the  progress  of  which 
won  conquests  similar  to  those  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
-Many  ha.l  perceive.l  the  crying  need  of  this  faith,  l,ut  John 
Uesley  hecame  its   einhodiment   an.I    messenger.     In  him 
and  in  his  work  Anglican  an.I  I'uritan  .-..alesccl -the  order 
an.    .Iigmty  .,f  the  one,  the  fearless  initiative  an.l  asceticism 
ot  the  other    -an.I  a.liniral.ly   serve.l   their  mission  t.,  his 
own    an.l    speeding    ag.-s.      His  qn,>n<.hless    zeal    enabled 
hnn  to  (luicken  in  nuiltitu.les  .,f  his  fell.nv  m,.,  that  repent- 
an.r  f..r  sin  an.I  sense  of  the  renewe.l  fav.ir  ..f  (;,„1  whi.h 
ha.l  wrought  his  .nui  .leliv.Tan.e.     His  lalu.rs  ha.l  a   pr..- 
foun.l  an.I  p,.rvasive  influen.e  ..n  the  ey..luti..n  ..f  I'n.tcst- 
antism.  to  which  Mr.  Le.ky  bears  witness  in  the  f.,ll.,wing 
wonls:        Alth..ngh   the  career  ..f  the  elder   Pitt   an.I    the 
splen.li.l  yi.'tori.s  by  lan.l  an.I  >,■«  that  w.t.-  w..n  .luring  his 
ministry,  t..rm  iinqn..sti..n;.l)ly  the  m..st  .lazzilng  epis„.les  in 
the  reig"  of  (Jeorg.-  II,  th.^y  must  yicl.l,  I  think,  in  r.-al  im- 
portance to  that  r.'ligi„us  reyoluti.)n  whi.h  shortly  bcf.,re  had 
begun  m  Englan.l  by  the  prea.hing  ..f  the  Weslevs  an.I  White- 
field."  ' 

This  .IcMTv.-l  tribut.-,  whi.h   has   receive.1   a    tardv  vet 


■■  History  .,1  i;iid:iii.|  in  tlic  ICi^t.tccntl] 


."•■iitiir 


Vol.  HI,  ,,    I. 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


170 


1 
1 


inoreasinj;  approval,  sitvi's  td  hear  out  the  contention  of 
Goetlio,    CarlyU',    and    KnuTson,    tliat    personality    rather 
than  ideas    is    the  tieterniinin>j  factor  in  human   progres' . 
But  while  a  character  such  as  Wesley's  does  infinitely  more 
for  the  advancement  of  morals  and  religion  than  any  ab- 
stract theory  or  mechanical  formula  possibly  could  accom- 
plish,   it   also   creates   the   difficulty    of    interpreting    him 
adequately.     There    is  a    mystery   of  genius   as   well  as   a 
mystery  of  godliness,  and  he  shared  in  both.     The  Oxford 
cleric  who  became  the  center  of  the  revolution  which  Lecky 
described  possessed  a  significance  which  retjuires  patient  and 
thorough  examination.     Literary  ingeimity  can  set  forth  the 
motion:,  of  his  gifted  mind  and  the  outward  expressions  of 
his  far-reaching  and  benevolent  sympathies,  but  it  falters 
in  attempting  to  delineate  the  secret  history  of  his  rich  and 
contagious  spirituality.     Although  his  was  one  of  those  hap- 
pily constituted  intellects  which  pierce  through  immaterial 
and  irrel"vant  accretions  to  the  core  of  a  (juestion,  his  nature 
was  complex,  and  his  spirit  acconnnodated  many  ajjparently 
contradictory  elements.     He  shared  the  sentiments  common 
to  saints  of  every  school,  and  displayed  an  admiral)le  cath- 
olicity toward  those  who  did  not  hold  his  opinions.     Yet 
some  of  his  biographers  have  eml)alincd  him  rather   than 
made  him  vital  to  our  apprehension,  and  others  have  treated 
him  as  a  cpiarry  from  which  to  excavate  the  building  nuite- 
rial  for  the  defenses  of  their  orthodoxy.      The  living  Wesley, 
as  one  of  the  chosen  vessels  of  (lod's  grace  and  a  prophet 
of  divine  realities  whose  life  and  teaching  were  an  inspiration 
and  a  blessing  to  the  Church,  should  not  be  s  ibmitted  to 
these  stereotyped  processes.     Nor  can  his  varied  qualities 
be  compressed  into  those  simplifying  gencralizatu.r..-:  "hi'h 
gratify  the  advocates  of  a  tlieolo"    il   system  but  fail  to 
elucidate  the  deeper  meaning  of  t'        lan. 

He  was  born  at  Epworth  rectory,     .  the  county  and  dio- 
cese of  Lincoln,  on   the    iTth   of   June,    17(U,'    and  came 

'  The  uew  style  of  rcckoniiii!  wovilil  iiiuke  it  the  JSth  of  Juue. 


131 


■>■!  1; 

I' 


I 

Hi 


180 


THRKK    HKLKilOUS    LKADKUS   OF   ()\KORD 


ill 


:l 


of  a  sturdy  AnKl„-S„xo„  st.uk  «1,„m.  lat.-r  ..hmhIhts  fur- 
.uslKHl  t ho,r  c,u,,ta  of  scholars  a.ul  .I.TKynu-n  to  tl.e  serviro 
father'    fZ  ""rtl.olonu.w   \\Vs,k,v.   ,hc-  Kn-at-,ran,l- 

father  of  John,   was  th.-  th.r.l   son   of  Sir    Uvyh.n   W.st- 
•■y.  of  \\,.sth-.«l..   Devon,  an.l   Klixalx-th  ,le  \\v\lvs\vy    of 
Danpn     (  ount.v    Meat!.,    Irdan.l.     An    Oxfor.l    man",    he 
stu.lie.1  both  nuHhcnu.  an.l  .livinity  in  tlu-  Iniv.Tsitv  wIut,- 
I'-s  son    jrran.lson.  an.l   three  gr,-at-«ran.lsons   wore  after- 
jvanls  tHhuate.  .     In   I(i|<>  lu-  n.arri,-.!  tlu-  .lan^htcT  of  Sir 
Henry  (  olk-.v  of  (  astle  Carl.erry.  Kil.lan-.  [relan.l.  an.l  after 
an  interval   .lurmK  whieh  little  .lefit.ite  is  known  corurrninK 
his  career.    Ncstlev  I.eea.ne  in  ICIO  the  lUrtor  of  Catlu-rston. 
a...     also    lu.hl    the    nei.^hl.orinK    livin.   of    Channouth    in 
orset.     ^^hen  (  harles  11  flo.l  fron>  Oonuvcirs  "cTowninK 
nerev      at  W(,reester  ,n   LmI.  h.-  attempf.l  to  rross   the 
hannel   Iron.   (  harinonth   to   Fran.r.     But   tlu-  .Idav  of 
he  boat  ehartere.1  to  convey  the  kin«  to  tlu-  v.-ssd  jeop'anl- 
.^-1  the  sc-heme.  and  he  barely  cs-aped.     Tlu-  "pmu   par- 
ens   bo|,l  avowal  that  he  -.vould  have  .aptured  tlu-  nu'.nareh 
a.l  he  been  present  was  an  indication  of  the  political  opin- 
ons  wlnc-h  speed.ly  nnolved   Mr.  Westley  in  the  troubles 
the  Hestoratum.     In   l(i(L>  ho  snflVred  ejection  fn.n,  his 
liMn^  under  the  Ac-t  of  rnifornuty.  a,ul  thereafter  pra.-ticed 
as  a  ph.vsu.an  amonj;  his  former  parishioners  a.ul  at  Mrid- 
Port.     His  blameless  and  benevolent  character  seems  to  have 
l)eeM  a  protectu.n  durinjr  the  persecuting  davs.     H,-  lived 
»  «  "pe  and  honored  a>;e.  and  at  his  death  was  laid  to  rest 
m  tfie  churchyard  at  Lvme  lU-jjis 

J<.hn  Westley.  the  son  of  Bartholomew  and  the  paternal 

grandfather  of  the  man  who  bore  his  name  a.ul  inherited 

Hs  spirit    was  born  in  I(>:j,;.  and  graduated  from  Oxford  in 

lus  twenty-second  year  with  a   reputation  as  an   Orienfa! 

of  Uridport.  "'  ^'^'"'''  ^^^■^"'^y  "•'"  ""»  "f  the   bailiffs 


ji 


JOHN    WESLEY 


181 


linguist.  The  Vicr  Cliancellor,  Dr.  Owen,  had  imbued 
him  with  Disseiitinjc  views  of  Church  jjovernmeut,  and 
Westley,  prolnihly  avoiding;  Kpiscopal  ordination,  exercised 
his  first  ministry  anionn  the  fisliermen  of  Hadipole,  a  hamlet 
near  Weymouth.  In  1(>.')N  liis  piety  and  culture  secured 
for  him  the  pastorate  of  Wintcrhorne-Whitchurch,  in  Dorset, 
ami  Oomweil's  Hoard  of  (Omniissioners,  known  as  "Triers," 
who  pronounced  upon  the  fitness  of  candidates  for  the  min- 
istry of  tlie  Church,  approved  the  selection.  In  KiOl,  the 
second  year  of  the  Restoration,  he  was  imjjrisoned  for  de- 
clining; to  use  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  a  year  later 
was  cjcctctl  from  his  iixiu);.  The  remaining  si.xteen  years 
of  his  life  were  marked  hy  repeated  labors  and  hardships; 
he  died  when  still  in  the  forties,  |)rematurely  worn  out  and 
apparently  thwarted  in  his  aims.  iJut  his  lesjacy  to  the 
Wesley  family  was  treasured  by  his  widow  and  children, 
who  transmitted  to  the  sons  of  Kpworth  rectory  his  lofty 
example  of  a  sin>;ularly  j)ure  and  sacrificial  career,  ennobled 
by  the  sutVeriiifis  he  enduretl  for  the  sake  of  conscience. 

His  wife  was  the  dau};hter  of  Dr.  John  White,  the  p.itriarch 
of  Dorchester,  a  member  of  the  Westminster  Assembly  and 
one  of  the  orij;inal  patentees  of  the  Massachusetts  colony. 
Iler  uncle,  Samuel  Fuller,  the  witty  divine  aiul  church  hist(v 
rian,  described  her  father  as  "a  >,'rave  man,  who  would  yet 
willingly  contribute  his  shot  of  facetiousness  on  any  just 
occasion."  Mrs.  John  Westley  received  the  sympathy  of 
those  who  had  a<lmired  her  husband's  adherence  to  his 
convictions,  an<l  by  their  assistance  she  was  enabled  to 
educate  her  children.  Her  son  Matthew  became  a  physician 
in  London  ;  Samuel,  the  father  of  John  and  Charles  Wesley, 
was  intended  for  the  Dissenting  ministry,  and  was  sent  to 
Mr.  Martin's  Academy  on  .Newington  (Ireen  in  that  city 
to  obtain  his  traininj;.'      The  lack  of  genuine  religion  and 

'  Thosi'  ncHilciiiii's  HiTi'  <'stal)li-h('ii  .iftcr  the  p;issiMi;  i)f  tlio  Toleration 
Art.  rrior  to  that  Di-'sciitiiiK  iiiiriistors  activl  as  private  tutors  in  families 
or  rooeiveil  pupils  in  their  own  homes.  Many  of  the  ministers  were  men  of 
luuruinK  aiiJ  power  unJ  liuked  their  schools  with  thi'  hi.story  of  Noneoii- 


iHI 


n 


Hi 


ii" 


m 


1^ 


1 1 


f 

i 
I 

i 
i    I 


1H2     rURKK    KKF.KilOlS   LKADKRS  OF   OXFORD 

tin-  |)rcvalt'ii<f  of  scctariiiii  controversy  amoiip  his  fcllow- 
stu.U-Mts  ,l,ilk.,|  his  Noncoiifonnitv.  and.   iiotwithstan.linL' 
Ins  ttMi.icr  rt-pir.!  for  his  father's  memory  atid  f„r  his  mother's 
wishes,  he  l)eKaM  to  examine  the  (|iiesti(.iis  at  issne  hetween 
the    Kstal)hshe«l    Church    and    Dissent.     lie   naturally   felt 
reluctant  to  inform  his  m<.ther  and  her  friends  of  his  impend- 
ing? change;    yet  h«>  met  the  emergency  with  characteristic 
courage  and  prom|)titude.  and  having  carefullv  considere.l 
the  situation  and  invoked   Heaven's  directing;  wis.lom.  he 
determined  to  seek  admission  to  the  Anglican  ( 'hurch.     With 
this  end  in  view,  he  set  out  on  foot  for  Oxford,  with  little 
or  no  provision  for  his  expenses,  and  on  arrivinjj  there  en- 
tered as  a  servitor  at  Kxeter  College.     After  the  comj^letion 
of  his  studies,  he  was  ordained  <leacon  on  Auj;ust  7.  KISS 
and  priest  in  Kehruary.  KW!);   thus  reuniting  his  hranch  of 
the  family  with  the  Church  which  ha<l  expelled  his  father  and 
grandfather,   and   which   afterwards  looked   with   prejudice 
on  the  efforts  (.f  liis  sons.     It  may  he  noted  here  that  the 
chanse  in  the  spelliiiK  «»f  their  name  from  Westlev  to  Wes- 
ley was  made  by  Samuel  on  the  firound  that  the  latter  was 
the  orijjinal  form. 

John  Wesley  was  equally  well  l)orn  on  the  maternal 
side.  Ills  mother  was  the  youiiKest  daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel 
Annesley.  a  graduate  of  (Queen's  College,  Oxford,  and  an 
able,  Kcnial,  and  erudite  divine  who<e  cimspicuous  >;ifts  were 
highly  esteemed  by  his  })rethren.  Kjected  from  the  historic 
London  Church  of  St.  (Jiles,  CripplcKate.  Dr.  Annesley 
afterwards  ministered  to  a  coiiKrepition  worshii>pinjr  ,,"t 
Little  St.  Ilek'iis,  IJishop>fiate,  where  his  reputation  as  a 
trusted  leader  earned  for  him  the  title,  "the  St  Paul  of 
Xonconformity."  Mrs.  W.-sley.  like  her  husband,  was  dis- 
.satisfied  with  the  Calvinistic  tenets  of  Puritan  theolojrv  tiien 
prevalent,  and  while  still  a  girl  had  deliberately  rencmnced 

forinity  n„t  the  intcllertiml  :..tivit.v  ..f  theso  hoIuh.U  injured  their  spiritual 
Iif...  and  here.,,  Uiy  the  .e.ret  of  th..ir  l.i,.keri„«s  a„d  „lti,.,ate  atrophy.  Sw 
The  (  an.hndKe  H,:itor,v  of  i:„„li.h  Literature:    \o|.  X    „„   AlUri' 


fl 


H 


JOHN    VVKSLKY 


183 


tlu'in  and  rotiiriicd  to  the  Aii>;li(an  fold.'  This  rominciatioii 
created  a  mutual  sympathy  between  her  and  Samuel  Wes- 
ley, whose  pMid  fortune  it  was  to  marry  her  durin);  the 
year  of  his  ordination.  From  the  first  the  younj;  couple 
struj;nl*'<l  under  burdens  of  poverty  and  debt  conscciuent  up- 
on a  nieaj;er  income  and  a  j;rowinj;  family.  After  a  London 
curacy,  a  chaplaincy  in  the  navy,  and  a  l)rief  tenure  in  the 
small  living  of  South  ()rm>by.  Lincolnsliire,  they  lame  in 
1()!(7  to  Kpworth,  the  place  destined  to  be  the  scene  of  their 
joint  labors  for  nearly  forty  years.  The  new  rector,  then 
thirty-five  years  of  af;e,  received  scarcely  enouj;h  support 
for  his  necessities.  The  rectoiy  was  a  three-storied  buildinjj 
of  timl)er  and  plaster,  thatciied  witli  straw;  the  i)arish- 
ioners  were  ignorant  and  dejjraded  farmers  and  peasants, 
bitterly  opposed  to  tlieir  parson's  Tory  politics,  and  the 
majority  remained  loiif;  Iieeilless  of  Iiis  relijiious  exhortations. 
They  have  been  descril)ed  liy  the  Ue\ .  \\.  B.  Stonehouse 
as  descendinj;  from  the  FcMmcn,  "a  race  according  to  the 
place  where  they  dwell,  rude,  uncivil,  and  envious  to  all 
others."  In  the  early  eij;hteentli  century  these  people  main- 
tained the  bad  reputation  of  their  ancestors.  They  formed 
an  insulated  fjroup,  much  below  even  the  pitiable  averaj,'e 
of  rural  intellif;ence,  turbulent  and  vulpir,  profane  and 
corrupt.  The  deference  usually  shown  to  su|)eriors  in  loiij; 
settled  communities  was  entirely  aliseiit  from  their  behavior, 
and  they  despised  and  habitually  nejilectcd  the  conventional 
observances  of  relif^ion. 

The  market  town  of  Kpworth,  containing  a  hitherto 
.stationary  pojnilation  of  alxiut  tw(»  tliousand,  is  situated 
on  the  Me  of  Axholnie,'  a  -trip  of  land  ten  miles  lout;  and 
four  broad,  once  enclosed  by  five  rivers,  two  of  wliicii  arc 
now  only  marked  by   the   willow   trees  linin;;  their  former 

'  Archhi.slioi)  I.aiicl,  to  liis  (•rcilit,  h:u\  always  iiruti'stcil  ai;aiiist  tlu"-o 
tenets. 

'  The  Isle  of  .\x1ioItiic  still  retain-  llje  rlii<'f  rcinaiiiirm  i'\ani|ili>  iif  tin-  (ilil 
threi'-fii'lil  system  wliieli  was  the  amiciit  Aryan  metlimi  of  lillane,  showiim 
how  little  tlie  plare  hat)  U'eii  alTeiteil  by  tile  siirroiimliai;  onler  of  hroiiress. 


;■)( 


i 


u 


I  i 


;     1 
i 


t 

liV 

1 


1S4     TIII{|;k    KKM<;i()lS   i.kadkus  ok  oxh 


>|{|) 


hanks.     Tlir  f.rtilc  phiitis  „f  I,i,i,„|„s|,ir,-  stretch  in   jrnrn 

cxpaiiM-   hfv I    tlic   p'nth-   >I..|m-   ..ii    which    the   place   is 

lo<ate.l,  their  stagnant  inar>hes  (Iraine.l  anil  ilotted  with 
wiMKllan.l  KH.ve^,  i)r(.>pcn.ii>  farin>tea(ls,  an.l  herds  of  catth-. 
On  the  risjiijr  ;;rnunil  cc.ninian.linK  the  town  stands  the 
church  with  its  nia>sive  t..w<r.  The  pars.Miane  in  whi.h 
.h)hn  Wesley  uas  l,„rn  was  deMn.yed  l,v  an  incendiarv  (ire 
"M  a  w  niter's  ni^ht  in  I7()!l.  and  although  the  rector  promptly 
hepin  the  work  of  rehuildin^-.  the  new  edifice  remained  hajf 
funnshed  for  several  years.  The  i)re>eiit  rectory  is  a  (^n<rn 
Anne  structure  of  comfortaMe  dimensions,  with  one  of  those 
old-fashioned  KukHsIi  gardens  uhich  harhor  peace  and  eun- 
teujplation  in  their  hordered  walks. 

Few   clerjiymen   seemed   less  fitted   to  minister  to  such  a 
parish  than  Samuel    We.Iey,   an.l   even   his   wife's  superior 
discornment  c.uld  not  prevent  frequent  misunderstandiiiKs 
l)et\\een   pastor  aiul   flock  which  occasionally  involved   her 
also.     Vet  choleric,  stul.horn  of  temi)er  and"  .somewhat  ec- 
centric   in   conduct    as   the    rector   was.   hi>    shortcomings 
were  ollset  hy  his  cheerful   optimism,   his  <oura);e.  and   his 
hdehty  to  his  callin-.     He  conteii.le.l   with  pecuniary  diffi- 
culties and   tiie  inditlercnce  and  maliKiiancv  of  his  i)arish- 
H>ners   until    his   hi^h    sense  of  dutv  and   his   in.lepen.lence 
hnally    won    the    reluctant    confidence  of   tiiose  whom    lu- 
.s.rvcd  aecordiiiK  to  his  own  ideas  inst.ad  of  their  desires. 
Ill-  tastes  and  a-pirations  as  a  scholar  found  expression  in 
vo  ummous    writin-s.    noiu-    „f   which    ha<i   anv  particular 
value.      .Swift  in  the  -  Mattle  of  the  Hooks."  and    1'oih-  in 
tlie  "Duiiciad."  dismissed  his  versifications    with   a   phrase 
and  .ven  the  favorable  ey.-  of  his  son  John   failed   to  detect 
any  sip.s  of  p.^'try  in  them.     His  chief  work  in  prose  was 
a  (  ommentary  on   the   Hook  of  ,[„l,,   i,,   which   he  hrou^ht 
to  the  memory  of  tiu-  much  enduring  Patriarch  an  accumu- 
lation of  curious  and    varied   learning;.     Vet   tiies..   literary 
etlorts  kept  alive  in  his  frugal  househol.l  the  traditions  o'f 
scholarship,  and  douhtles^  .served  to  cheer  the  lonelv  lot  of 


.lOIIN    WKSLKV 


18.-, 


y 


im  iiitcllt'ctuallx  ainltitinii^  iii.iii  who  vva>  -<\(rc<l  fruiri 
ftHowsliip  with  <riilt>iiitii  of  the  |mii.  lU-  wtMthrrcd  the 
sfoniis  of  hi>  triri|M-stiioiis  |ia>-,ii>;f,  ami  >trailil\  inaiiitaiiicd 
tin-  Apo^tohr  \iMoii  of  a  world  cnnxtrtcd  to  the  true  faith, 
hiiiiMlf  vohinticriiij;  for  iiii->ioiiary  service  in  the  far  Kast 
that  this  cause  iiiicht  he  advanced.  An  ardent  patriot 
and  a  churchman,  he  never  des|)aired  of  all'air>  in  the  home- 
land. "Charles,"  said  the  father  a*  he  lay  on  his  death- 
Ik'iI  and  addressed  his  youn>;est  son,  "he  steady;  the  ("hris- 
tian  faith  will  surely  revive  in  these  kinploms.  Vou  shall 
sec  it,  though  I  shall  not.  "  To  .John  he  had  heforc  tcstiHcd, 
"The  inward  wit'iev>.  son,  the  inward  witness,  —  tiiis  is 
the  proof,  the  stroiipst  proof,  of  Christianity." 

"I  did  not  at  the  time  understand  them,"  remarked 
John  in  after  days,  speakin-,'  of  these  dying  words;  yet 
when  viewed  in  the  light  of  Methodist  history,  they  show 
the  |)ro|)hetic  instinct,  and  how  the  far-reaching  fibers  of 
the  Kvangelical  iicvival  were  tnirturcd  in  the  hearts  of  that 
family  from  the  day  Martholomew  and  John  Westley  to 

those  of  .Samuel  Wcsi       .md  his  sons. 

His  wife  exercised   tne  dominant   iriHiance  in  the  ' 
hold,   and    John    was  essentially    his   mother's   child.     . 
Anglicanism  was  hlendcd   with  the  sterner  (pialities  of  lui 
I'uritaii  father,  and  her  zial  was  no  K       ardent   because   it 
was  equable,     .\lthough  deficient  in  somi'  milder  attributes 
of  the  feminine  nature,  and  without   that   sense  of  humor 
which  would  have  softened   the   rigidities  of   her  domestic 
rule,   she  excelled    in    simplicity,   dignity,   pnicticality,  and 
firmness  of  purpose,  traits  which  ma(ie  her  atl'ection  a  source 
of  strength  and  security.     Of  the  nunien-us  children  '  bori 
to  this  excellent  lady  all  were  gifted,  and  some   were  dootne.i 
to  saddened  and  disai)pointi'd  lives,  but  two  (»f  them  founde  1 
the   Methodism   of   which    she   wjis  a   |)rimal   source.      Her 


r 


'  Kimortli  WMs  thr  liirthphiir  i)f  fifiri'ir  .if  llic  iiiiirtiTii  iliil.lrcM  of  Saiiuii'l 
;iricl  Si|s:iiiii:ih  W.>li-\  .  .S;iiiiiii>l,  tli..  i-ldi'^l  m.ii.  wli.i  «aw  l«irri  In  l,.iiiiloii, 
wus  tliiitiM'ii  yi'ar>  iiliK-r  lliaii  Juliii,  aiiil  Cliaili'-  fmir  mmi-  Miiiiii;i-r. 


lH»i      TMUKK    UHl.Kilors   LKADKUS   OK   OXF 


OKI) 


li.'iiir  wii>  ii  Mli.M.t  of  nnmn«'r>,  morals  jiixl  nlipmi,  in  which 
'uir  (■..ii\.Tsiti..ii  iiikI  iiit«ninirsc  were  dost'ly  Kuanlfil,  ihk! 


tl 

tiiriifd  iiitii  th«-  iiio-t  pn.fitahic  ( liaiiiu'ls.     SI 


■  »•  tmiiiht  thfiii 

Itttrrs;  tli.ir  kiiuwIrdKr  „f  tlu-  II„|y  Scrlptiir.H  aii.l  pnn 
lt»i()n>  of  |)iity  \\vrv  tlic  ohj.cts  of  hrr  iiii-<tiiifv<l  cart',  from 
«lii(li  tlu'  .liitio  aii.l  privation^  of  lur  hoiiM'hol.l  coiiM   not 

irif  rt  lu'ti'd  on  s<»mf 
HT  in  terms 


tittain  her.     Altla.n^'li  licr  Spartan  n'jti 

of  thf  cliiltlnti.  in  later  day,  tlu-v  rcfiTml  to  I 


of  the  liv<li»'>t   K'ratitml 


lur  tl 


<■.  xtkuij;  her  nauiMl.  and 


a-  recipient  of  tlieir  confidcnc<'>.     Th,.  toncli  of  I 


ncNS.  uhieh  would  have  relieved  tl 
plinc  without    lowering;  it>  ti 


niakiMK 
niman- 


le  auMeritiC' 


.f  I 


ler  (lisci- 


tl 


ric,  came  with  the  jiaNsinj;  of 


le  year^;     time   was  kciutcmis  to  Mrs.   Weshy  in  tl 
inellow.,1    '„T,    adding   to    her   j;race   aial    tend 
assiduous  def.iise  of  the  circle  she  adorned    wa 
tion  of  htr  piiKlness  and  wisd 


lat  It 


erne: 


II 

s  a  revclu 


er 


to  John  and   ChaHes  alaindantly    confirm, 
mother,  the  Chiireli    would    have  I 
Kreat    thiii>;>   from   the   sons.      T.,  ,.|,| 


om.  virtues  which  her  letters 


WitI 


1  such  a 


i>   siii)erfIuotis,    >iii(r   that   has   I 


M'cn  jiistifie<l  in  exiH-ctiiiK 
rth 


irjTt-  upon   her  worth 


)een 


in[>h 


i-'i/cd   hy  maiiv 


iithors  and  morali>ts  who  have  wondend  at  her  tranquil 
••'••  -\v  over  a   family  so  hijrhly  individualized,  and  one 


luthorit 


which  conferred  such  priceless  Iwnefits  .  :i  mankind.  The 
latent  I'untaniMn  to  which  her  sons  afterwar.ls  app..aled 
\Mth  an  iinerriii«  l„.li,.f  in  its  desire  for  (Jod.  and  which 
I.roducrd  Its  iH-st   r,-sults  i,,   r.-pmis  lH.y„„d  the  s,)liere  of 


the  State,    found   n 


ler  or    more    comi)lete    setting;    for 


the  >|)iritual  i)h.i>es  of  I'n.totant  historv  tl 


Kpw(.rth    hy   Sirsmnah    Wolev.     ( 


laii 


that 


Kiveii 


poverty   and    sechi- 


ion 


th: 


oiit«nt    to   cultivate 


^tniirjrh's  and  clianp's  had  failed  t 


purer  ideals  which   political 


o  maintain,  she  lived  to 
flu- 


mess  and  111 


a  licaiitifiii  and  vcn.raMc  a^e,  and  ^tcw  in  Iml 

car.  until -calKd  to  the  lifr  Inn-,,,,,],  when  her  ha ppv  spirit 

pa»e.l    from    p.a.r   to   .|,ri,er   peace    with   confiden'ce  and 

tliankspviiig. 


J«)II,S    WKSLKV 


187 


II 

The  first  dfrad*-  ii\  Mpwortli  wiis  full  of  vcxiitinns.  WIhmi 
.Idliii  wi(>  Imt  two  v»iir>  old  his  fiitlur  was  cotinnittt-ti  to 
Lincoln  Cii^th'  for  ilfl)t.  Tlu-  nctor's  nicinif-.  not  onl\ 
hrounlit  tlii>  trouhic  upon  liiin ;  tlii\  jiI^o  tlt-f  roved  ids 
crops,  injured  liis  ciittli-.  and  after  >e\eral  attempt^.  Iiuriied 
his  home.  .Folin.who  had  heeii  oNcrlooked  in  the  confu-^inn, 
was  rescueil  from  the  np|HT  >tory  at  the  !a>t  moment  l>y 
u  man  rai^-d  on  tiie  >hoiilders  of  «ttiier^  to  >  latch  the  <hild 
«)Ut  of  the  flames.  Iimnediatel.\  afterward  the  roof  'ol- 
lap>ed.  and  hi^  fatlur,  overcome  witli  >;ra\itudc,  fell  upon 
his  knees  and  aeknow ledtred  the  providence  which  had 
delivered  the  lad.  In  later  days  John  fri(piently  recurred 
to  the  iru  id«'nt  then  stamped  upon  hi>  memory  as  a  proof  of 
(io<r>  |)ersonal  super\ision  of  hi>  life,  and  de>irc<l  that  his 
cpita|)h  should  commcmoratt-  it  in  tin-  words,  "Is  not  this 
H  brand  |)lucked  from  the  l)urninj;';'"  The  capricious  esca- 
pades of  "Old  Jetfrey,"  the  >;lio^t  which  haunted  the  rectory, 
were  also  anions  tlu-  \i\id  recollection^  of  his  youth,  i'e 
had  entered  the  Charterhouse  School  when  this  nnich  dis- 
cussed visitor  from  another  world  hcf^an  those  di-<turl)- 
unces  which  contimied  tlurinn  the  months  of  Dccemher  ami 
January,  171(1  and  1717.  The  real  source  of  the  phenomena 
was  never  discovered;  the  Wesleys  attriltutcd  them  to  a 
supernatural  cause,  liut  seemed  not  to  ha\e  heen  affrij;hted 
by  this  impression.  Whenever  prayers  were  otfered  for  tlie 
Hoyal  Ilouseliold  the  s|)irit  manifested  it-  Jacobite  sym- 
pathies by  vij;orou .  poundings,  a  form  of  remonstrance 
w  Inch  fireatlx  anuised  the  children.  John's  frank  a<  ccptance 
of  this  and  similar  marxt-ls,  references  to  wliich  arc  fre(|Uent 
in  his  writinj;s,  was  more  than  an  ordinary  recojiiiition  of 
such  occurrences;    it  savored  strongly  of  superstition. 

Samuel,  the  eldest  son,  entered  Westminster  School  in 
1704,  became  a  Queen's  scholar  in  T  !•,  ai  .1  went  up  to 
Christ    Church,   Oxford,    in    1711.     lb    returned    to   West- 


*y 


j^ 


li 


Sli 


' 


'  ii 


'   f 


i 


1S8      TIIUKE    ItKLlOlOUS   LEADERS   OK   OXFOUD 

minster  as  Iu,,(l  usIut,  was  a.l.nitte.l  to  II„lv  Orders   and 
'"  procvss  of  tune  .....de  the  aequai..tancr  <>  a  gro  .p  o 

^  '.Tul.     ()t   that   >,le,t   company   were  IJishop   Attc..-I,„rv 
te  stormy  petrel  of  th<.  An.Ii.-an  episeopa.v.  Ilarlev   S 
.^(  xford,  I>nor,  Addis,,,,.  a.„l  Dea..  s'vift.     This  S.lZ 
Lesley  was  ■,  ,,net  of  so,,,,.  ,„o„„,,t.  a„  a.-eomph'sh,..!  scholar 
and  a  eo„ser.at,ve  „,a„  of  retiri,,^  .lispositio,,  who  |„„ked 
t    alarm  upo„  the  reh,io„s  -  extravagances"  of  his  vo,„„cr 
othe.      I.wasdc.,«,,atedi,.   ,7:!.hea.l„,aster^^^ 
dells   N.loo    a      l.verto,,    ,„    Devonshire,    well    k„ow„    to 
readers  of  HlackmoreV  "  Lon.a  ))oo„e."  a„.l  die.l  there  o,. 
Nove,nI,er  ...  y.iU,  witl,o„t  havi,,.  realize.!  the  preferment 

wlueh  m,«l,t   ha^e  l.een   his  I   the  Tory  party  not 

defeated  l,y  ,ts  allegiance  to  th-  Stuarts 

John  entered  the ''hartc-rhonse  .-^r-hool.  Lo,.,],,,,.  at  eleven 
ycar^  ot  aj:e,  on  the  nomination  of  the  l)„ke  of  MnekinKham. 
and  ren.a,ncd  there  nntil  he  was  seventeo.     The  name  ot' 
th,s  lamons  school  ,s  ,|,.riv,..|  fro,,,  the  French  Maison  (^h'.r- 
trense.  a  re I,k,„„s  honse  of  the  (  arthnsian  ,m.„ks.  and  as  sn.-l, 
was  apphe.    to  th,-  various  Carth„Man  nionasteries  in  E,,.. 
and      hs  tj„,„liar  and  corr„,,ted  nsa,^>  is  eonnecte.l  with 
he  (  harterhonse.  where  on  a  for.ner  l.uryin,.  .ro„nd  near 
he  cty  wall.  Nr   Walter  de  Manny,  at   whose  death  all 
J-mKland  mourned,  and  Bishop  Xorthhury.  founde.l  in  i;!7l 
the  Inory  ol  the  Salutation.     After  the  dissolution  „f  the 
>:r,-at    monasteries    i„    mr>   th,-    property    passe<l    throujr|, 
N^.nous  hands  until  i„    PUI    tl„.  Karl  of  Suffolk  sold  it  to 
lh..mas  Sutton,  one  of  Queen  Klizal.etl.-s  Masters  of  Ord- 
nance, who  here  estal.lisl„.d  a  brotherhood  for  ei^d.tv  poor 
'»«•„  and  a  school  of  forty  poor  hoys.     The  latter  has  lo,,. 
ranked  as  one  of  th.^  foremost  ,,ul,li,.  schools  of  the  realm 
and    hoasts  a„,onf.   its    „.|,„h,rs    the    na.ues    of    Oashaw' 
i^melace.  Barrow,  lluf,rr  Willia.ns.  A,l.lison,  Steele,  Weslev 
Blaekston...  (,rote.  Thirluall.  I^.eeh.  Hav,-lock.  and  Thack- 
eray.    Ihe  school  was  rcnov,.,!  to  its  han.lsome  new  build- 


^\S 


}. 


Mm\    WKSLKY 


189 


ings  at  Godiiliniiiji,  Siirrf\ ,  in  1S72,  but  tlie  fascinating 
placi'  which  Wcsk-y  loNcd  and  frcciticntly  revisited  stands 
practica  •  the  same  to-day,  and  th"  gentlemen  p<  iisioners 
whom  'l  nackeray  immortalized  in  "(Olonel  Newcoine" 
still  gather  at  the  sound  of  the  curfew  in  the  stately  Eliza- 
bethan hall,  and  worshij)  in  the  dim  chapel  which  contains 
Sutton's  alabaster  tomb. 

Public  school  life  in  Wesley's  Kngland  was  cruel  beyond 
degree ;  the  elder  boys  bullied  the  younger  ones,  who  had 
to  be  content  witli  short  fomtnon-  at  table,  and  submit  to 
brutal  treatment  on  every  side'  The  discipline  of  the  rec- 
tory had  prepared  John  for  his  ordeal ;  he  ilid  not  complain 
of  the  food,  nor  resist  the  rongii  handling  of  his  companions, 
as  Charles  did  at  Westminster  when  he  thrashed  one  of  liis 
worst  tormentors.  Yet  his  (piiet  persistence  and  advanced 
knowledge  gained  him  a  standing  even  in  that  ruffianly 
crowd,  and  he  always  attributed  his  al)stemious  habits  and 
longevity  to  the  scanty  diet  and  aluindant  exercise  of  th'j 
Charterhouse.  The  Rev.  Luke  Tycnnan  makes  the  por- 
tentous annoiuicement  that  "John  Wesley  entered  the 
Charterhouse  a  saint,  and  left  it  a  >iiuicr."  '-'  What  particu- 
lar kind  of  saint  or  sinner  he  had  in  mind  the  vigorous  biog- 
rapher of  Wesley  does  not  define;  and  the  statement  can 
bo  dismissed  as  one  of  tho^e  vagaries  \\  Inch  are  due  to  theo- 
logical prejudice.  It  is  highly  (piestionable  if  the  boy 
suH'ered  any  loss  of  genuine  faitli  or  |)urity.  Me  had  come 
from  a  slieltered  existence  at  lioine,  where  his  early  interest 
in  religious  matters  intluced  his  father  to  admit  him  to  Holy 
Comnumion  when  he  was  eight  years  old.  His  fa>tidious 
scruples  had  already  attracted  the  attention  of  those  about 
him,  and  needed  no  further  encouragement,  while  the  drastic 
treatment  he  received  from  his  >cli(ioifcl|()w>  probably  saved 
him  from  becoming  a  pious  i)rig  by  discouraging  any  dis- 

'  I.oc^h'^^  "  Wiiicliostor  Cnlli'nc"  aricl  tlii'  arliclo  uii  lutein  in  ihc  Vic-tciri;t 
fimiity  Jlistnrv  nf  Mu-  l<iMitli;iTii.-.|iiri'  uivi>  -trikiiii;  iicfoiiiits  nf  the  liiirsluiesi* 
anil  ill  n^:in.f  of  ciiilili'i'iilli  iTiitury  piiKlir  -i-l Is. 

'  "  l.ifi'  .cii.l  Tiiiji's  .)f  Jciliu  Wolcy  "  :    \'i.l.  1,  p.  _'.'. 


ill 


^ 


m 


i 


190 


THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


■  \ 


position  towanls  artificiality.  During  his  six  %-cars  in 
London  he  kept  in  dose  tondi  uith  his  parents' and  his 
brother  Samuel,  who  had  o\ersiKlit  of  (^haries  at  Westmin- 
ster and  of  John  at  the  C'harteriiouse  throughout  the  four 
years  tlie  three  brothers  were  together  in  the  capital.  .Sur- 
rouiKh'd  by  these  influences,  John  maintained  his  private 
devotions  and  communicated  on  the  appointed  days. 

He  entered  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  in  the  summer'of  1720, 
having  already  gained  soli.!  advantages  in  tlie  breadth  and 
sincerity  of  his  character  and  a  thorough  drilling  in  the 
dassics.  As  a  Carthusian  scholar  at  the  Universitv  he 
received  an  annuity  of  forty  pounds,  an  income  which  made  it 
almost  impossil)le  for  him  tf)  keep  out  of  w^  t.  His  father's 
finances  were  too  straitened  to  be  of  ni.  .1  avail,  and  his 
mother's  letters  contained  frequent  advices  on  the  need  for 
economy.  Vet  the  monetary  drawback  di<I  not  hinder  his 
serious  use  of  those  opportunities  which  liis  fellow  students 
for  the  most  part  neglected. 

_    The   I'niversity  was  at  a   low  ebb,  too  careful   for  the 
int.-rests  of  the  banishc.l  Stuart  dynasty,  and  so  indifl'erent 
toward  scholarship  as  to  provoke  Wesley's  e.xdamation  - 
Uh  .  what  IS  so  scarcr  as  learning  save  religion  ?  "     Edward 
Gibbon  described  a  tyi)ical  tutor  ..f  the  dav  as  a  man  who 
remembered  that  he  had  a  salary  to  receive,  and  forgot  that 
lie  had  a  duty  to  jierform."  '     Separated  from  the  life  and 
progress  of  the  nation,  supercilious  toward  the  Hanoverian 
succession,  which,  des,,ite    iis  foreign    extraction,  was  the 
safeguard  of  constitutional  liberties,  an.l  without  anv  effective 
internal   supervision,  Oxford   had   fallen  on  evil  days    the 
m()re  ,)ronounced  because  of  its  jKTverse  blindness  "to'  am 
delects.     Stu.lents  evade.l  thdr  classes,  wasting  their  time 
in  dnnkuig  and  gambling.     Idleness,  ignorance,  and  decep- 
tion  abounde.1.     Candidates  for  degrees  <-ould  purdiase  a 
dispensation  freeing  them  from  attending  lectures,  some  of 

wh:,i\,:'::::::V:.X';!f  afi:.::""""""  "■"■^'^^^'""^ "  ^--^^  --  ---d 


,  1 1 


I'i 


■Ai 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


191 


which  were  never  niven,  and  had  others  heen  omitted  no 
serious  loss  wouhl  liave  hem  ineurred.  This  l)etrayal  of 
trust  and  th;'  jjeneral  ininiorahty  intensified  \\esh-y's  sense 
of  separateness.  T\vent\  years  later  lie  rel)nke<l  them  in  a 
sermon  preaehed  hefore  the  rniver>ity  and  exliorted  tiie 
eolleKes  to  mend  tlieir  ways.  In  tlic  meantime  tlie  reh- 
jlious  devotion  of  iiis  adoh'scence  hcfiaii  to  weaken  under 
tlie  stress  of  liis  studies  and  social  enf;af;ements.  IJut  he 
was  far  removed  from  the  f,'ross  pursuits  of  many  of  his 
fellow  students,  thoroufihly  reputal)le  and  conscientious  in 
his  dealings,  and  justly  respected  for  the  i)ropriety  of  his 
conduct.  Ilis  earliest  diaries  show  that  he  read  popular 
dramas,  took  a  sjjceial  interest  in  the  gay  Horace,  and 
studied  the  graver  works  of  Homer,  \'irgil,  Juvenal,  Spenser, 
Shakespeare,  and  Milton. 

He  s;  Mit  the  Christmas  of  172.")  with  college  friends, 
at  the  rectories  of  Broadway  and  Stanton,  viUages  situated 
under  the  Cotswold  Hills,  in  one  of  the  hiveliest  valleys 
of  P^ngland.  re  he  met   Miss   Hetty  Kirkham,  prohahly 

the  "religion^  trieiid"  who  had  first  induced  him  in  the 
preceding  \]ml  to  enter  earnestl\-  upon  a  new  life.' 
Another  of  his  companions  was  Mrs.  Pendarvis,  of 
the  Granville  family  of  Huckland,  a  third  place  in  the 
vicinity  This  fascinating  young  widow,  the  niece  of  Lord 
Lansdowne,  afterwards  the  wife  of  Dr.  Delaney  of  Dublin, 
was  one  of  the  accomplished  women  of  the  time,  to  whom 
Edmund  Burke  paid  an  mnisnal  triinite  for  her  culture  and 
conversation.  Wesley  maintained  a  corresi)ondence  with 
both  ladies,  addressing  Miss  Kirkham  as  Varanese  and  Mrs. 
Pendarvis  as  .\spasia.  He  danced  at  a  wedding  which  took 
place  during  the  vacation  and  also  with  his  si>ters  at  Kp- 
worth  upon  his  visits  there,  and  returned  to  Oxford  t() 
reproach  himself  for  his  susceptibility  to  the  charms  of  a 
bewitching  circle.     It  was  his  custom  on  Saturday  evenings 


'  "The  Journal  of  John  Wf>lf.\ 
Vol.  I,  p.  15. 


iiliti'ii  by  Ui'v.  Ni'lu'iuiah  Cuniock ; 


-.ill 


M' 
If 

It 

il  ■ 

w 

f 

f,; 
H   11 

il 


■   I 

i  f 

I    I 


!      5 

.  i 


1U2 


TIIUKI-:    HIM.HilOlS    LKADKUS   OF   OXFORD 


u  riTor.1  t  H.  c-vn,ts  ,.f  tlio  moving  hours,  aiu!  confess  his 

P  ',:;.,  r'''\   \  ''7'''    ""•"^'"    <•>•   company   more   than 
(;o,l.        h.  ask,..i,  shortly  aftrr  his  r,-tnrn  from  Stanton 
Ihe    mq.nry    shou.,!     that    vvhil..    onjoyinj;    the   pK-asttres 
of  a    rehn.,I   tast,-.  hv  al.o   f.h  that  to  f,-ar  (mmI  an.i   to 
liayo  no  other  tear  is  the  principle  which  not  <mlv  safetruards 
reh^ion.  l,nt    asserts    its   trnth   an,l   wis.lom    in    all    affairs 
ot  lite.     In  retrospct  lu-  was  unsparing  towar.l  himself,  and 
sometnnes  .leman.h.l  nion-  than  his  nature  or  circumstances 
c'.>..l.l  then  allonl,  striving' after  a  .IcKree  of  excellence  vvell- 
niKh  unattan.al.l..  in  tho.,-  who  have  to  mingle  i.,  the  c-um-nt 
of  human  alla.rs.     Wi,h  j,„i|,l,.ss  an.l  .mreserve.l  candor  he 
exposed  the  nunost  M-,rets  of  his  soul,  an.l  his  sincerity  led 
um  to  reflect.  "Who  mori.  foolish  an.l  faithless  than  I  was"^" 
H.'  did  not  insinuate  his  experiences  nor  ^loss   them-    he 
proclaimed   them   from    the     „   ,se-tops.     "I   still   said' mv 
praycrs,  lu.th  in  pnl.lic  an.l   private;    and  rea.l,  with  tlie 
>Vri])tun's,  several  other  hooks  of  religion.  .  .        Vet  I  hud 
not  all  this  while  .M.  much  as  a  notion  of  inward  holiness- 
nay,  went  on  hal.itually  an.l.  f.,r  the  most  part,  verv  con- 
tentedly, m  some  or  other  known  sin  ;    thou-h  with"  some 
mtermissum  an.l  short  struKKh-s,  especially  l.ef..re  and  after 
the  Holy  (  ,  m,nuiii.,n,  which  I  was  ohli^cl  to  receive  thrice 
a   \ear.    -     1  l„s  contessi..n   .lis(|uieted    him   more   than    it 
m-e,l  ,  ,.-q„H.t  others.     While  we  shoul.l  n..t  refuse  to  a.lmit 
the  inferences  which  lie  on  the  surfa.v  of  his  statenu-nt.  we 
must  n..t  sutler  the  i)hrase..lofry  to  misiea.l  us.     The  "  known 
sm     of  which  W..sley  speaks  can  I.e  judjre.1  in  the  hVht  of 
his  maturer  ,.xperi..Mce.  when  a  leaning;  toward   asceticism 
ren.l,.re.l  him  sensitive  to  what  may  have  l.een  at  tl.eir  best 
fmrmless  amus.-m.nts.  an.l  at  their  w.,rst  mil.l  in.liscretions 
A.s.sure,lly.   h,-  ,li,l    „ot  easily    yi..|d   to  the   temptations   of 
a    I  mvcrs.ty   career.      He  was   remiss   in    his   expenditure 

voi.'r";;:'/;!;:'""'' ''  •'"''"  '"'■^'"^-^  '•'""■''  '»•  «"••  >^"''""-h  rur„,„.k; 

'  L.  Tycrmai, :     -Lifu  and  Tiuii.s  of  J„lm  Wesley"  ;    Vol.  I,  p.  21. 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


193 


of  money,  oonsidcriiij;  its  scarcity  at  Epworth,  and  his 
parents  proi)eri\'  warned  liini  to  he  more  carefnl  in  this 
resj)eet,  hnt  lie  never  (h-liherately  disreiiarded  the  ohvions 
distinction  between  ninnl  and  evil.  Tiie  cont  nt  of  the 
term  sin  varies  with  jicuteness  of  >|)iritnai  i)«Tcei)tion ; 
where  tliis  faculty  is  nndnly  alert,  acts  arc  included  in  the 
eatefjory  of  sins  which  by  no  means  fail  within  the  proper 
meaning;  of  the  word.  S])iritually-niinded  men  and  women 
are  the  severest  arbiters  of  their  own  pa>t.  and  are  always 
prone  to  depreciate  their  motives  and  deeds.  Their  writinf;s 
teem  with  accusations  ajiain^t  them-cl\(>,  which  not  infre- 
(piently  are  the  shadows  cast  by  an  intcn>e  yearninji  to  know 
and  do  the  will  of  Heaven,  that  they  nia\  enter  into  its  more 
perfect  fellowshij).  It  should  be  unilcr-^toixl  that  from  his 
earliest  youth  Wesley  had  been  attachctl  to  noble  ideals, 
and  that  thron<;hout  a  loni;  life  he  seldom  swerve<l  from 
the  hard   and   narrow  i>atli   of  duty. 

Durinj;  the  fir.^t  four  years  of  his  residence  at  Oxford  he 
gave  no  indication  that  he  proposed  entering;  the  .\ni;lican 
ministry,  ahhoUf;h  there  is  little  doubt  that  !iis  ])arcnts 
had  always  ho|)ed  such  would  be  his  decision.  His  father 
frequently  expressed  tin  de-ire  tliat  he  should  do  so,  and 
in  172")  Wesley  began  to  read  the  works  of  Thomas  a  Kenipis 
and  Jeremy  Taylor,  with  the  rc-^ult  that  his  rdiijious  life 
became  more  pronounced,  and  he  gave  himself  to  prayer 
and  meditation.  His  eorrcsi)ondcnce  with  his  mother,  who 
was  th'-n,  as  always,  his  guide  and  confessor,  shows  that  he 
seriously  (piestioned  his  fitness  for  Holy  Orders.  The  ideal 
of  the  writer  of  "De  Imitatione  Christi""  repelled  him  as 
being  too  cold  and  austere,  and  he  complains  in  a  U'tter  to 
his  mother  of  a  Kcmpis  for  "inverting  instead  of  disciplin- 
ing the  natural  tendencies  of  humanity.'"  Taylor's  exhor- 
tation to  humility  seemed  to  iiim  to  clash  witii  the  claims 
,)f  truth.'     Notwithstanding  these  criticisms,  both  authors 


-  i 

III 


fiii;i 


'  .luli.-l   WrclnwiHiil  :     ■Mdlii 
Kinhlcoiitli  CcMliiry"  ;    p.   i^i. 
o 


Wi'.-U'V  ami  till'  Kvunurlic  al  Ki-aitioii  of  tlio 


1  f 


,  I 


,i 


'I 


I  f 


1!)4      TIIKKK    KKLKilOLs    LKADKKS   OK   OXFORD 

iiitrodiiccl    WVslcy  to   dtptlis  and   rciiclu-s  of  tlic   spiritual 
milm    hitliiTto    unknown    to    Iiim.      Tlu-y    stimulated   liis 
faith,  an.i   placed   him   under  an  ol)lij;ation  he   afterwards 
aeknowledjred.     Taylor's  "Holy   Living  and    Holy   Dving" 
had  ex<eedinf,dy  atVccted  luni.     He  remarked.  "llistantly  I 
resoK  ed  to  dedicate  all  my  life  to  (  IcmI      all  my  thoughts,  and 
words,  and  actions,      l.cin-  thoroughly  convinced  there  was 
nt.  medium  ;    hut  that  <'very  i)art  of  my  life  (not  some  only) 
nmst  either  he  a  sacrifice  to  Cod,  or  myself,  that  is,  in  ett'ect, 
the  devil."  '     Hisnioth.-rdid  not  always  sati>fy  his  inquiries.' 
hut  she  admiral)ly  >ununed   up  the  (luesiion  ,,f  his  frcneral 
relation  to  the  world  in  the  followini:  manner,  "Take  this 
rule  —  whatever  imi)airs  the  tenderness  of  your  conscience, 
ohscures  your  sense  of  Cod.  or  takes  the  relish  off  spiritual' 
thinp.  that  thinj;  is  sin   to  you,  however  innocent  it  may 
he  m   Itself."-     Her   anxiety  for   his   safe   emer>;ence  froiii 
theolo^tical    per])lexities    prompted   similar    counsels  wlil,-h 
reveal  her  at   her  hest  In.th  as  a  Christian  and  a  thou>;ht- 
ful    student    of    current    doctrinal    statements.       "But    if 
you  would   he  free  from  fears  ami  dc.uhts  concerning  your 
future  happiness,"  she  wrote  on  July  21,  17l'.-),  "every  inorn- 
inj;  and  eveninj;  commit  your  soul  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  a  full 
faith  in  His  ])ower  and   will  to  save  you.     If  you  <lo  this 
seriously  an.l  constantly.  He  will  take  you  under  His  conduct : 
He  will  jruid,.  you  hy  His  Holy  Spirit  into  the  wav  (.f  truth, 
and  jrive  you  stren.uth  to  walk  in  it.     He  will  dispo.se  (.f  the 
•■vents  of  Cod's   providence  to  your  sjHritual   advantafie; 
iind  if,  to  keep  you  hiunhle  and  more  ^ensil.le  of  vour  de- 
pend.-nce  on  Him.  lU-  permit  you  to  fall  into  lesser  sins,  he 
not  <liscouraf:cd  ;    for  He  will  certainly  ;rivc  you  repentance, 
and  safely  jruide  you  through  all  the  temptations  of  this 
world,  and,  at  the  last,  receive  you  to  Himself  in  j;lory." '' 

!  VJ^'Z'"'}"  ■    "  '■'"'  ^""'  ''''""""  "'■  ■'"'"'  \\,-|c.v"  :    Vol.  1.  p.  M) 
-.Iillia  \\(mIi:»,„„|      ■  .I,,iu,    U...|,.v  and  tl„.  i:v:,„u,.|i.-:,|  Rrartion  „f  tl„. 
I.ii£nt<>('iitli  (  I'litiii-.v  '  :    p.  :i  |. 

"  I..  T.v.Tniiui  :    ■l.ilr  :,,„|    Til,,,.-  ,,f  .l,,|,n  Wf>l,.y"  :    Vol.  1.  p.  ;i.s. 


JOHN-    WKSI.KY 


I9r> 


As  his  onlinntioii   iii)i)r<)ii(lir.l.  tlif   Tliirty-iiino   Artiyl.s 
were scrutinizcii.  i)iirtuuliirly  tlu.M-  rclatin;;  to  rrcd.^tiiiatioii. 
1111(1  Mrs.  Wfslcv  (omniciits  on  its  rxtrinir   iiittTpn-tation 
in  a  It'tt.T  (laU-dAiijiu^t  IS,  ITJ:..     -'Vhv  .loctriiu-  of  pmh's- 
tiiiiitioii,  as  luaiiitaiiitMl  l)y  tlu-  ri^'i.l  Calviiiists,  i^  v.tv  sliock- 
iiij;,  and  ou^'lit  to  hv  al)liorrcd,  IxMiMKc  it  .iircctly   cliarps 
tlu-  Most  IIi>.'!i  (".od  witli  luin^  t.lic  aiitlior  of  >in.      1  tliink 
yon  m.son  well  and  jn>tly  apiin.t  it  ;   for  it  i.  ctrtainly  in- 
consistent witii  tlu-  jnsti(v  and  .<;oodnfs>  of  (lod  to  lay  any 
man  nndiT  pliysiral  or  moral  nccf^>ity   of  committing  sm, 
and  then  to  pn'ni>h  him  for  doiiif;  it."  '      Th.-ir  intcrchaiiKc  of 
sentiments  occupied  eight  montiis.  at  the  end  of  which  time 
Mrs.  Wesley  wrote,  "  I  approve  the  di-po>ition  of  yonr  mind, 
and  think  the  sooner  you  are  .icacon  the  hctter."     With 
such  commendation,  and  after  excrcisini:  cv.Ty  care  in  prej)- 
aration  for  the  ofHce  he  wa>  ahout  to  a^^nme,  .h)lm  Wesley 
solemnly  olfered   himself    for    tlic    ('hri>tian    mini-try.      He 
was  oniained  <leacon  on  l.ord's  Day,  .Sei)teml)er    li>,    17-V>, 
by  Doctor  .John  Potter,  Hishop  of  Oxford,  who  three  years 
and  three  da\s  later  admitted  him  to  priest's  orders. 


Ill 

This  event  marked  the  he<;inning  of  an  era  in  Wesley's 
religions  development.  Hitherto  he  had  known  some  re- 
laxation from  his  studies,  and  an  ac(inaintancc  who  must 
have  shared  his  hours  of  ease  descril)ed  him  as  "the  very 
sensil)le  and  active  collegian,  hafiling  every  one  by  the 
subtleties  of  logic,  and  laughing  at  them  for  being  so  easily 
route.'.;    a  young  fellow  of  tiie  finest  clasM.al  taste,  of  the 

He    was    gay    and 
His  exccllci.t 


d    r.ianlv    sentiments. 


most    liberal    ami 

sprightly,  whh  a  turn  for  wit  and  iiumor. 

character  and  scholar-hip,  combined   witli  his  social  gifts, 

obtained   for  him   a   fellow-hip  of   I-incoln    ("ollegf    i"    the 


'  I.    TycniiiiM  :    "  I.ifi'  :niil  Tiiiu's  of  .Icihu  Wc-lcy"  ; 
»  John' 'IVlford  ;   •■Tli.'  I.if^'  "f  .l'>lni  W.-U'v"  ;   p.  :;:i. 


Vol.  1.  p.   10. 


I 


fi 


i 


,11 


I'h; 


TIIUKK    UKUdloi  S    I.KADKHS   (>K   oXfokI) 


>|Tm-  ..I  I  <_'<;.  ;,„  liniM.r  iiul.r.l  t„r  .,n,.  so  v..im^r,  wh,.  Im.l 
"nt    v,.t,   rr.rm.,1   hi,  ,„„„.r^  ,|,.^,r,,,     \vitli   his  nitraiuv 
tl'.Tr  .t  th.-  hruinnin;;  of  the  Octohrr  t.T,n.  h.-  in.|>..s,..|  u 
Mnrt.T  ruir  npun  hi,nM-l|'  ,mi.|  wr..f  I.,  his  brother  SMiniu-i 
l-«i-"r.-  an.l   I   h;.vr  t^kni  I,-av,.  of  „„,.  aiiothi-r."     Mo,h 
•ays  atui  Tii...,|;,y.  h-  fi.nr  to  Cr.rk  an.l  Latin;    \V,.,hu's. 
<la.ys  to  h-Kn-a-Ml  ,.thi..>  ;   Thnrs<lav>.  to  Fl.-l.rnv  an.l  Aral,!.-; 
I'n.lays,  to  nic1a|.hy.i,s  an.l  i.atnral  |)hil..>oi,hv  ;  Satiir.lavs 
f"   ..rat..rv    an.l    ,,.„.try;     SM.i.lav,,    to   .iivin'itv.     Ift-   was 
.■t!>iM.M,tr.l  (Jn.-k  l.vtnr.Tan.l  nio.l.rator  of  the  ciass.-s,  which 
asM.ml.1,.,1  MX  tMnr,  a  vv,.,.k  tor  .li,,,ntati.M,  on  statnl  tJi..,n.N. 
MS  ..nty  Lnn-  t..  pr.M.h-  .,v.-r  an.l  ..oncin.h.  thr  .li-hatcsJ 
\Miil.-  he  aKvay>  ,li,lik,.,l  n..,..lh.ss  .ontrovorsv,  l,v  nu-ans  of 
tins  o,v,>pat.on  h..  a.-,,nin..l  a  .h.xtrrity  in  a'rjrnmn.t  whi.'h 

was  alt..nvar.l>  of   ,„all   servi,-,..     His  p,,,ral   reading 

wa>  well  rhoM,,  an.l  .h..u,..l  l,i,„  to  lu-  a  s,-h..lar  of  a  sni.stan- 
tial  s.,rt.  witJH.ut  that  f.ar  lor  tlu-  ..orroMvc  dlV.l  of  intd- 
ImnahMn  on   faith  ul,i,.h  has  h-.rt  >.,  n.anv  a.lv..ratos  of 
rH.j;,on      Uritnii;  t..  on.,  of  hi,  pnpils  in  An^ust,  ]7;51    he 
trn.|..i,.|  the  f..lI..uino  a.lvi.v:    ••V.,n.  w'.,,  have  not  the  as- 
sura:,...  ..t  a  ,lay  to  li^ ...  are  not  wis,-  if  y,,,,  waste  a  moment. 
Ihe  >liorte,t   way   to   kn.-wje.lj;,.  seems  to   I.e  this-    1    To 
as.vrtan.  what  kn..v  le.l;.,.  yo,i  desire  t.)  attain.     •'    To  rea<l 
no  1,00k  wln.h  .I.M-s  not  in  M.nie  way  ten.!  to  the  attai,  nent 
u\  that  kn.,w|,..li;.,     ;;.  T,  n.,.!  n.,  hook  which  .ioes  ten.l 
t..  the  attannnent  of  It.   m.less  it  i.e  the  best   in   its  kin.l. 
i.    I  o  hni.h  ..n.'  iu.tore  yo.i  b,.j;i„  an..ther.     .-,.  To  rea.j  them 
ail  m  >n,h  ..n  ,-r,  that  eNery  subse.p.ent  book  may  illustrate 
iin.l  conhrni  tlie  prece.linj;."- 

His  father,  ther,  ver^^in-  on  ..Id  a-e  and  en.iurinK  manv 
alMi.tion,,  rejoi.<'.I  over  th,'  preferment  ..f  his  ".lear  Mr 
I-''  l'.w-KI,.et  of  Lin,„ln.  What  will  be  n.v  own  fate  (I,.,i 
only  lvn..^v>.  sni  p„s.v  ,,r„emrn,  wherever  1  am.  my  Jack  is 

■'    '.    I   n,    :,,!;„     .,-    Il„.    ,„:„„    |,,M    ,.l    ;,    I    niviTsilv   < -Mmn.. 

-i-    l.v.-niKU.:    ■  I.il..  :,n.ri    i.,,.  „f  J„hi,  W.^^lcv '■  ;    Vul.  1    p    -,1 


JOHN*    \VKSI,KY 


1<»7 


Fellow  of  Lincoln."  '  The  collcfic  was  foniuli-d  in  1  127, 
l)y  IliclianI  Fleming',  tlu-  rccrciint.  Luliunl  who,  as  alnaily 
stated,  heeanu-  Bislinp  of  Lincoln,  tuirnt  WyclilVc's  Ixmes, 
endeavored  to  extirjiatc  liis  tcacliiiii;s  at  ()\l'nrd,  and  ordered 
that  "any  fellow  tainted  with  thcM-  iuTc-ic>  >lionld  i)e  ca>t 
ont,  likt'  a  disi'aM-d  ^hcci),  froiTi  the  fold  <if  the  college." 
Wesh-y's  fellowshii)  on  I'leniiii;;'-^  fonndation  once  more 
deinonstratt'fl  the  fully  of  sn<h  i)rii\i>ion  a;;ain>t  the  iiievi- 
tal)le  ehan^'es  of  time.  The  cra^s  niaterialiMn  and  ne^'lect 
which  deinorali/ed  the  rniver>ity  dnrini:  the  eighteenth 
centnry  were  not  so  pre\alent  at  Lincoln  as  cNcwherc 
in  Oxford.  The  atniosplnTc  of  tlic  cnlic;;e  was  more  con- 
jienial  to  Wc^hy 's  intentions  than  ('hri~t  Cluirch  had  heen, 
where  1  '•  resented  those  coinpanionship>  of  wlii<|i  lu-  after- 
wards said,   "  Hven  their  harndcss  conversitiim,   >o-callcd, 

dani])ed  all  my  j; I  resolution>.     I  saw  no  po->>il)lc  wav  of 

p'ttinj;  rid  of  them,  nnlos  it  should  plca-c  (iod  to  remove 
me  to  ar. other  colli'^e.  lie  diil  mi,  in  a  manner  iitterl\  con- 
trary to  all  Innnan  pn)l)aliilit\ .  i  wa^  elected  l'"ellow  of  a 
college  where  1  knew  not  one  perxm.  1  fnroaw  ahundance 
of  peoi)le  would  come  to  see  me  .  .  .  hnt  1  had  now  Kxt-d 
my  plan.  I  resolveil  to  have  no  aciiuaintancc  l>y  chance, 
hnt  hy  choice;  and  to  choo>e  >nch  only  as  wonld  help  me 
on  my  way  to  heaven.  ...  I  knew  that  many  reflection^ 
would  follow,  lint  that  ilid  not  move  me."-  The  men  of 
Lincoln  were  " well-natnred  and  wcll-hrcd,"  ytt  their  i)olite 
intercourse  jialled  on  him  ;  he  repelled  their  advances,  and 
.shut  himself  up  to  his  own  pursuits.  Kncu  at  this  the  world 
was  too  much  with  him.  and  lie  lookcil  with  longing  upon 
the  prosjM'ct  ( f  a  mastership  in  a  Yorkshire  mIiooI,  "so  pent 
uj)  hetween  two  hills  that  it  is  scarce  acces'^ihlc  on  any  side, 
so  that  you  can  expect  little  company  from  without,  and 
within  there  is  none  at  all."  l-'or  sucii  solitude  he  was 
l)rv,)ared  to  sacrifice  hi-<  position  at  Oxford.     \n  a  less  bal- 

'  L.  Tyi'nii:iii :    "Lifi'  ;iii(l  Ti'iic-i  nf  Siuiiiii'l  \\  i-l.'v  "  :    \i.  .i'J!*. 
^  Ibid.,  "Life  aiiJ  Times  uf  .J>ilm  Wi>>ley  "  ;    \ul.  1.  p.  '<'>. 


In 

1    1     ''• 


ill 


i 


'U 


li)S 


TIIUKK    UCLIflKHS    LKADKUS   OK   OXKOUI) 


:  ( 


M 


^  f 


ancfd  Miltiirc  tliiiii  \\i.\v\  \  tlir  (•..iis(<iiicii(rs  (if  this  inordi- 
iiaU-  craviii^;  fur  ii  <l()i-,ttr((l  ntrcit  wdiiM  have  lurn  iiijii- 
ri(m>,  and  as  it  was  the  disirc  dcttriniiicd  the  cdiirsc  of  his 
privati'  lift-.  Wx  his  ((iiMpaiiioiis  did  imt  cliarp"  his  srchi- 
sivi-  hal.its  ti>  any  lac  k  ..f  Kciiiahty  ;  ,mi  the  contrary,  thosr 
who  wcrr  admitted  to  his  fritndshi|>  landed  his  amiahility, 
and  one  of  them  wrote  to  him,  lamenting;  his  eiiforcrd  aJ)- 
seiiee  from  the  eolle;;e  ju  a  deprixation  for  them. 

After  siKiidinj;  the  sinniner  of  ITl'C.  at  Kjiworth,  where  he 
Het«'d  as  his  father's  curate,  he  passed  a  year  in  residence 
at  Oxford,   returnin};  a>;ain  to  Hpworth  in   17-'7,  when  he 
ussnme<l   char^.'  of  the  ohscure   parish   at   Wroote,   which 
forme<l  a  part  of  the  livin;;.     In  this  h.ncly  handet  of  the  fen- 
lands,  siirronndcd  l»y  lio«s  and  tenanted  hy  a  hopeless  jH-as- 
antry,  hi  siH-nt  tlie  next  two  years  and  three  months.     His 
ministrations   were   ad.lressed    to    "nnpolished    wi>;hts"    as 
"imiHTvions  as  stones,"  and  the  innate  aristocracy  of  the 
Wesleys,  whicli  denoted,  ?iot  a  class,  hnt  a  creed,  was  exhib- 
ited  toward   these  stnpid   parishioners  both   hy  John    and 
l>y  his  lively  sister  Hetty.     I'.'w  details  of  his  curacy  are 
available,  an<l  those  that  are  have  no  particular  interest. 
It  was  evident  he  did  not  tlien  jxissess  the  secret  of  that 
marvellous    iM)\ver   which    enahled    him    to   kindle    an    un- 
paralleled enthusiasm  in  town  and  hamlet  when  he  rode  the 
length  and  hreadth  of  the  three  kinj;<loms  during;  later  days. 
He  tells  us,  "  I  i)reached  much,  hut  saw  no  fruit  of  my  labor. 
Indeed,  it  could  not  be  that  I  should  ;   for  I  neither  laid  the 
foun.lation    of    repentance,    nor   (,f    believing;    the    C.osik-I  ; 
taking  it  for  ^rantol   that   all  to  whom   I  preached    were 
believers,  and  that  many  of  them  needed  no  reix-ntance."  ' 
His    relaxation   was   foiuid  at   Epworth,   where  a    renewed 
intercourse  with  the  family  rendered  the  tedium  of  his  un- 
profitable days  |,.,s  irksouH'.     While   in  the  disenchanting 
hermitaK'*'  "f  Wroote,  and  probabl.v    when  he  began  to  feel 
that  distaste  for  the  limitations  of  iiarochial  work  which  he 

'  L.  ■ryiTinaii  :    'I.jfi.  an, I    Pi,, 


■  f  lolu.  Woslcy":    Vol.  I,  p.  57, 


A\ 


JOHN    VVKSLKY 


190 


always  retaiiu-d,  lit-  n-vorttnl  to  his  rcligiDUs  nuHlitatioiis. 
William  Law's  "StTioiis  Call,"  to  which  later  rcffn-iicfs 
will  hf  mailf,  was  puhlisluil  in  172S,  and  shortly  aftcrwanls 
WfsK'y  ohtaiiu'<l  the  vohum-  anil  rt-ad  it  with  <an»Tinss. 
It  is  notahlf  for  its  n-lij;ioiis  fervor  and  for  tlu-  insi^dit  and 
skill  of  its  contrast  between  the  life  of  tlie  fit  ^h  and  the  life 
of  the  spirit  —  (jualities  the  more  admirahle  when  the  gen- 
eral hikewarmness  and  formali>m  of  eighteenth  century  de- 
votional literatnre  are  recalled.  Law's  h  'v  followed  no 
contem|)orary  models.  It  j)loii>;lied  np  lu'W  ^rroniid,  and 
restoretl  to  an  ap'  of  harreiniess  in  relij;ion,  to  a  chnrch 
that  had  become  a  mere  adjnn<t  of  pnlilic  life  and  which 
confounded  the  Body  of  ('hri>t  with  the  An>;lican  K>tal)- 
lishment,  and  to  a  Turitanism  snhmerjted  in  Socinian  the- 
olojiy,  some  forgotten  ideals  of  Kvanjielical  Christianity. 
The  writer's  sway  was  evideiici-d  hy  the  thoroughly  appre- 
ciative tributes  of  leading  minds  far  diiVerent  from  his 
own.  He  lived  with  the  (libbons  at  Putney,  near  Lon- 
don, where  he  acted  as  tutor  to  the  father  of  the  histo- 
rian. A  rubieimd  man,  jovial  in  ajiiM-arance,  Law  gave 
little  indication  of  tlu-  devotee  and  the  i)liilosoi)hcr,  yet 
such  he  was,  and  one  of  the  very  few  who  then  bestowed 
specific  attention  uimhi  religious  prol;lems.  His  discussion 
of  these  was  sympathetic  and  illuminating,  and  many  who 
were  troubled  with  spiritual  or  doctrinal  dilKcultics  resorted 
to  him  for  hel|). 

The  Wesleys,  .John  and  Charles,  valued  his  counsel  so 
highly  that  on  several  occasions  they  walke<l  from  Oxford 
to  Ix)nilon  to  ol)tain  it.  After  John's  unseemly  ([uarrel  with 
Law  the  latter  remarked,  "I  was  once  a  kind  of  oracle  to 
Mr.  Wesley,"  and  at  least  one  sa\  ing  of  the  oradu  was 
fastened  in  the  recollection  of  the  younger  man:  "We 
shall  do  well  to  aim  at  the  highest  degrees  of  perfection  if 
we  may  thereby  attain  at  liast  to  mediocrity,"  -a  remark 
destined  to  acfrlerate  that  deeper  belief  in  the  divine  ]H)ssi- 
bilities  of  human  nature  which  Wesley  did  nuich  to  implant. 


>v 


r 


i^ 


u 


(1; 

! 


1  f 

I    ! 


ri 


2(M> 


TIIUKK    KIMJUlors    LKAF)KI{S   (,K   OXKO 


Id) 


If  sonu-  |Mrs.,„s."  wrntr  I,nv.  ",|„..il.|  unit.-  tlu-,„s,.|v,.s  in 
littlrMKufi..,  |,r,.IV.,iM>;  volmitiiry  povrtv.  r.tir.m.-iit  an.l 
.l.-vot.nn.  fli.t  ...,...•  iniKht  1...  r.li,.v..,|  i„  t|„.ir  .•|,„riti..s'.  an.l 
all  Im-  iM-n.htol  l.v  thrir  .■vMnplr.  mi.I,  |«.r„mH  «,.nM  Ik-  .„ 
far  fn.m  Um^  .liaru-aM,.  ui,h  >,uy  >n|..Mifi..n  (hat  tl.rv 
r.MKht  lK.jn>ll,v  s.i.l  t..r..>...r..tl,af  pi.t.v  uln.i.  wastj,,.  l„,„."t 
a...l  Kl..ry  of  thr  Chnr..!,  uIm„  it,  ^natrst  n...n  w.r..  aliv..  • 
Ihv  ••arly  lran.i,,ans  .niKJ.t  l.avr  Km.  th,.  inspirati,,,.  ..f 
tlM-  stat.nwnt.  uhi.h  llativ  .•..ntra.li.fr.l  tl.r  nn^^T  i,|,.,.ls 
of  llan..v.  .,  l'rof,->tanti>n..  It  wa>  n.,t  l.v  anv  ni.-ans 
Ki.w  s  ^Trat.  >t  <on<rption.  I„.t  crtainly  it  was  r..fi,.,t...l  in 
\\i->U-y.  .ond.i.t  an.l  in  that  .,f  tl...  llo|v  Clnl..  t.,  sav 
nytlnnK  of  its  palpal.lt-  rllVit  U|.on   tlu-  lift-  of  Kvanp-lical 

IV 

riiarl.-s  \V.-sl..y.  who  was  .l.rt.-.l  a  stn,|,.nt  .,f  Christ 
(  l.iirc  1.  Oxtonl.  fn.m  \V..>t.niM>t.T  S,hool.  al...nt  th.-  sa.m- 
tmif  that  John  iMranw  follow  of  Lin,.o|n,  was  the  ni..r..  san- 

Ku.nr  an.l  onioti. I  of  th..  tuo  l.r.,tluTs.     His  allV,ti.,natc 

.lisposit.on  WHS  instan,v.|  l.y  his  r.-fnsal  t..  I.,,v,.  his  pau-nts 
when    Mr.   (iarr.t    WrsK-y.   an    Iri^l,   K-ntl.n.an   of  fortnnr 
«...    was    ni    n.>   wi>,.   r..|at..l    to   th.-    fa.nilv.   ollVr,-.|    to 
"'"'•^  '"""         '^'"^    ''<■'•       Th,.  in.livi.h.al  who"  a,.,.,.pt,.,|  th.- 
olhr    ..n,.  Iu,.|,ar.|    (•oi|,.y.  ,.,,n.n,.,l   his    l.,n,.fa.t..rs  nanie 
"M'l  lH'.a>n..   the    «ran.|fatl,..r   uf   th..  I )uk..  of    W.I.'inKt.... 
wh..   ai)p<ars   ni   th..  army  li>t    ..f    Isdo  as   Artlnir  UVslrv' 
>..rn,K'   his  n..si,|,.n,.,.  at   Oxfor.l.  ('harl.s  in.h.lKc.l    la.ovant 
I"'  .Its    wh.,h.    althoHKh    hannl..ss.   w.r..    not    c.n.lM.iv;.    to 
su.l.lrn  an.l   M.n.a.s   chanp-s.  an.l    he  rt.s.-nt...|   John's   ovrr- 
ti.rts  in   l„.half  ..f  as.rti.al  pi..ty  l.v  iinpaficntlv  .l,.,.|i„i„., 
to    M-cotn..  a  saint  all  at  on..,.,     lint  ,hi.  „„..,.|  s.'.on  pass,.,| 
an,l  his  |,.tt(.r.  .hirn.f;  his  l.n.th,  r's  sojo.irn  at  \Vro..t..  sh..w...i 

Ki«i;!::!.::tMv:;;:;;;'^  ■,;'';!;;'  ''-'■^-  -"'  •'■'■ '-—'-" «-- <  .■.>. 


JOHN    WKSI.KY 


2()1 


timt  Ii4il>itinil  (Irftniit  (•  tn  Jolitrs  suiurior  jiidpiifiit  wliirli 
iKitliiiiK  Kiiilil  ili-,tiirli  ill  CliHrh's  cxit-pt  lli^  proiinuiiciil 
AtiKli<  iiiii'<iii  III'  now  Im'^mm  to  >liiiii  liis  fnniirr  coiii- 
|iiiiiiiiii^,  I'oiniiiiinir  itril  \M'i'kl\  in  tlir  iiillcp-  ('lia|H'l,  aii'l 
|HT>iiailnl  a  frirml  \<  liniii  Ih'  Iwnl  nclaiiiii)!  t'miii  ilniilitfiil 
•soriitv  ti>  ill)  lil.rwi^r.  'I'lii^  \\a>  tin-  nvnu  lit'  tlir  f^•|l^lW•^lli|^ 
tif  Ovfnnl  Mitlndi-iii  wliirli  ('liarli'  in^titiitnl  ami  Juliii 
ilinrttii.  Tlif  iatiir  ^lair^  fliat  "in  Nta.iiilcr,  \7'2*.K  fo'ir 
.Miiinj;  K''''it'''"" 'I  <•'  <Kt'()ril,  Mr.  .Fnhn  \Vi>lry,  l'"clln\v  of 
Linciiiii  Ci'lliKi'.  Mr.  <'harli>  \\i>iiy,  Stiuliiit  at  Christ 
("Ininli,  Mr.  Muriraii,  (iiimiHiniT  <>(  Cliri-t  (Inirrli,  ami 
Mr.  Kirkliain,  oi  Mtrtun  CnllcKr,  liijian  to  >|M'ml  moiiu- 
rvniinuN  a  wrik  rradinj:,  rliiilly  tlic  (imk  Ti'^taiiiciit." 
To  tiuM-  wire  >nl»ri|miili\  aililril  aiiionir  otlirrs  (icorp? 
Wiiittliild,  .lolni  ('lav  ton,  iJiiijaiiiiii  IriKliain,  .lohii  Wliiti'- 
lanilt,  \Vrstir.\  Hall.  Joliii  (laiiiliold.  and  Jaim-^  Iltrvi-y, 
tlif  author  of  "'riiiron  and  .\>|>a>io  "  and  "  Mtditatioiis 
anion);  the  'roinli-.  "  'i'hr  l'ririid>lii|»  then  l)f),'uii  wt-re 
at't»r\\ard>  iiidrd  l>\  drath  or  >r|)aratioii  or  di-»imilar  vit-w.s. 
Clayton,  tlu'  Farohitc  and  iliKh  (  liiirrh  rrctor  of  Mamiicstrr, 
tvi'iittiaiiy  ^hiiiniid  thi'  \Vi>l(y>  ;  lltTXcy  o|)|)os»'d  thflii  in 
his  writiii);s;  Iii;;haiii  lorMMik  tluiii;  (ianiiiold  avowed  \\v 
was  asliaiiu'd  of  his  youthful  relation  with  them  ;  and  White- 
!]•  id  after  lieinj;  their  colleaf.'ne  in  lahor  and  |)er>eeiitioii, 
was  for  a  time  alienated  from  them  liy  dortrinal  ditVeremrs. 
In  their  colle^re  day>  they  were  a  harnionioii-,  f;roii|)  of 
kindred  soul--,  and  when  in  17J'.»  Wesley,  at  the  reciiiest  i  " 
Dr.  Morley,  the  rector  of  Lineoln,  reNiinied  his  re>iileii(t' 
as  fellow  of  the  Collej;e,  he  at  once  liecanie  the  "curator  of 
the  Holy  Chill."  The  wicked  wit  of  the  I'niversity  sporting 
fraternity  wa>  spent  in  vain  upon  the>e  "cracklirainod 
enthusiasts."  Hehiiid  Jnlni  and  Charles  >tood  the  rector 
of  Kpwortii  and  hi>  wife,  who  advised  tliem  "  in  all  tliinjjs 
to  endeavor  to  act  ii|ion  principle,"  and  not  to  "live  like 
the  rest  of  mankind  who  pa>-,  throng;!)  the  world  like  straw.s 
upon  a  river."     Nothing  wa^  further  from  their  purpose; 


(' 


yi 


If! 


I  • 


fi! 
V 

fcl  I 

I 


2(»2    tiii{i:k  uKMciors  i.kadkhs  of  oxfouu 


It  i 


the  fnniiin-l  iru'iiilMT  nf  the  hand  never  knew  the  raeaninjj 
nl'  retreat,  anil  until  lie  left  Oxford  in  I?:}."),  John  reniained 
tlie  (ontrollin;;    >|)irit    of    the    orjranization.     Wesley's    i)ri>- 
doniinanee    in    a    ^rronp   wiiieh   inehided    Ilervey,    Clayton, 
and  Wliitelield,  was  an  indication  of   his  >;ifts  as  a  leader 
of  men.     The  Cinl)  flourished  or  declined   according  as  he 
wa>   |)reM  lit   or  al)MMit  ;   its  permanent  adherents  were  less 
numerous   than    the  timid   Im  ksliders    who   could    not  en- 
dure   the   olilo-jny  which    memhership  entailed.     All   alike 
vcre    tenacious    of  order;     scrn|)nlously   ohservaiit    of   the 
statutes    of    the     Tniversity  and    the    ordinances    of    the 
Clnirch.     Tlieir   coinnnmity    life   and   frufjality   afforded   u 
snri)lus  from  tlu'ir  united  incomes  which  they  devoted  to 
the  relief  of  the  |)oor  and  of  prisoners.     Uejiular  seasons  for 
prayer  and  fastin<r  were  oi)served,  and  frecpieiit  attendance 
on  the  Sacraniint   of  the  Lord's  Sui)per,  with  other  means 
of  ^'race  and  self-denial,  was   made   oi)li;;atory.     A   system- 
atic visitation  of  the  slums  and    jails   of   ()xford    and    its 
surroundinj;  villa^'cs  w,is  unchTtaken  at  the  instance  of  Wil- 
liiim    Morj;an.      .\ei;li'cted   children    were   instructed    in   the 
i5il)le  ;   dclitors  confined  in  th<'  "  Mocardo"  '  and  felons  under 
sentcn.  e    of    death    received    the    consolations    of    relif,'ion. 
I  port  Wesley's  solicitation,  |)roinpted  ity  his  father's  advice, 
the  l.ishoj)  of  the  diocese  f;ave  his  approval  to  these  works 
of  inercN   and  cliMrity,  and  a  few  of  the  clergy  fol.owed  his 
example. 

Mut  such  thirteenth  century  practitrs  were  hound  to  meet 
tl't censure  .,f  a  plciisure-loviuj;  j^^eneration.  Fofrg's  Weekly 
J  null  !)rotestc(l  a^'aiust  the  presence  of  tli<'se  sons  of 
sorrow  who  had  connnittcd  themselves  to  an  ahsnnl  per- 
petual melancholy  desi^r,,,.,!  to  make  the  whole  place  a 
inonaster\ .     While  they  |tassed  for  rclifiious  jxtsous  and  men 


'  Til-  ■  l<...:iT.|.,'-  u,,,  ,1  |,ri-,,„ 
H  hMU  Lll.lUll  1-  (  ■,>riir,i;i]  |^,.|  si',- 
l^r-lii  ..I  ^^I|..^.^|||  ,  :ill...|  !(.,., ,,  1,, 
111'-  .  .:r  :ii.';iiii.  |j,,in  lilni-inllj ,  : 
illlli'Ull    liUMci. 


"IT  tliC   \(j|t|i  C.itr  of  till,  city  on  wli;it 
'       ll  riiMx   liMvi-  licMi  .-o  iiiiini'il  frnii,  the 

ulil'll     l.r.'-.'l.tr.l    c-,-llaill    l,,uic-:i|     clifii,-Ml- 

l<'«:il   iiTMi  ^imiilyiiii;  :i  coiiti'iitious  :inil 


T.i'' 


JOHN    WKSI.KV 


203 


of  cxtriionliiiiiry  |)arts  innoii^  tlifinsrlsi-s,  to  oiitsidiTs  tlicy 
ai)lM'ar(Ml  as  iiiadiiicii  and  t'(Mil>.  Tlic  dialled  jade  winced  ; 
cart'li'ss  professors  and  imdcrfiradiiates  of  open  moral  lassi- 
tude were  incensed  hy  tlii>  return  to  tlie  >aerificial  devotion 
of  typical  Cliristianity,  and  tiieir  contempt  was  poured 
upon  a  few  fellow  ineml)ers  of  tlie  rni\er>ity  wlio>e  otVense 
lay  in  their  rej;ularity  and  l)iety.  Kll'ort>  were  made  to 
breed  dis>ensions  anioni;  tliein;  al)U--e  and  calumniation 
rafjed  apace.  Nicknames  were  i)lentiful  :  in  aiMition  to 
those  alr«'ady  ^i\en,  tlicM-  youn;;  men  were  known  as  Milile 
Hip)ts,  Bil)le  Moths,  Sacramentarians,  and  Methodists. 
The  last  term  wa>  >-ni>pi!sed  1)\  \\e-~le\  to  ha\t'  lieeii  derived 
from  Bentlex's  alln-ion  to  the  Mctliodici,  a- o|)p(i>ed  to  the 
Kmpirics,  t\vo  ancient  ri\al  >ehools  of  mcilicine.  This  was 
far-fetched;  the  wai;;;i>h  student  with  whom  the  epithet 
prohahly  orif;inated  may  have  found  the  name  of  the  lar^'est 
KnJ;li^ll-sl)eakin;;  Protestant  <"hurch  amonj;  the  sectarian 
disi)Utes  of  tlie  i>re\ious  century.  In  HiiJsa  >crmon  preached 
at  Lainheth  containe<l  the  foliowinj,'  pas-a^'c.  "Where  are 
now  our  Anal>a]iti>ts  and  |)lain  i)ack— talf  Methodists,  who 
esteem  all  flowers  of  rhetoric  in  mtiiiou^  no  hetter  than 
stinkiuf,'  weeds?"  and  in  KlU.'i  a  |)am])hlet  wa--  pul)li>Iied  en- 
titled, "A  War  amoni;  the  Anf,'els  of  the  Churclio;  wherein 
is  shewed  the  Principles  of  the  New  Methodists  in  the 
(Ireat  Point  of  .lustification."  '  When  a|)i)lied  to  the 
Oxford  men  who  dared  to  be  sinjrular,  the  apiu'llation,  if  not 
new,  was  aptl\'  descrijjtive  ;  it  at  once  clunj;  to  tlii'Ui,  and 
was  afterwards  Ix-stowed  on  the  Church  which  inherited 
some  of  their  characteristics. - 

If  Wesle>-  needed  further  supjiort.  the  rector  of  IC[)Worth 
certainly  t;a\e  it.  He  wrote  in  rinirini;  uonU  to  his  sons, 
"(loon,  then,  in  (iod'>  name,  in  tin-  ])ath  in  which  the  Saviour 
has  <lirected   \  ou  and  that  track  wherein   \our  father  went 


I?  11 


Is, 
f'i  I: 


'  I.,  T,v<tim;ui       ■  I. iff  lUi.l   Tiiiir-  .if  .l.pliri  W,-li'.\  "  .    \'.il.  1.  |i.  r,7. 
'For  .-1  full  clisiii->iiiii  of  till'  tiTiii  ~i'('  the  (ixfon!    Kimlisli   Dirtioiiiiry; 
also  H.  H.  Wnrkniaii's  ■Ilai.ill k  on  M,-ilio,liMii." 


.%', 


J     I 

11 


^ 


204     TIIHKK    HKLIcrors    LKADKRS   OK   ()XFOI{D 

before  you."     Tlieir  l)rotiier  Samuel  iuterjjosed  a  in;   1  ol). 
jeetion  to  their  "l)eiii};  ealled  a  Clul),  a  name  ealeulated  to  do 
niiseliief."     "Hut,"    he    continued,    "tlie    other    eliar^es    (.f 
enthusiasm  ean   \\eij;h  with   none  hut  sueii  as  drink  away 
their  senses."     He   lived   '  )  make  Muiilar    •liar^es   himself 
when  Methodism  >hook  oil'  its  academic  chains  and  essayed 
the   con(iuest   of  a  wider   field.     There  was  nothing;   in    the 
bearing  of  Wesley  and   his  friends   leanin>r  toward   sensa- 
tionalism,   neither   were  they   whim>ical    nor   mmecessarily 
precise.     They  looked  inwardly  and  outwardly  with  a  gaze 
which  was  pure  and  intent  on  increa>ed  purit\-.     Wesley's 
defense  of  their   hai)its  was  alnio>t    invariably  wise,  calm 
in    tone,    and    modest    in    statement.     His    presentation    of 
the  case  was  unmarred   by  any  arroj;ant  assumptions,  and 
showed    he  was  sincerely   convinced  that  the  remniciations 
they  made  were   essential   to  Christian   character.     Vet   St. 
Francis  himself  c.uld  scarcely  have  sur|)assed   his  assevera- 
tion that  no  man  was   in   a  state  of  salvation  until  he  was 
contemned   by  the  world,  and   unfortunately  the   prevailing 
attitude  toward   tho.e  who  songlt  to  exemplify  their  faith 
in  deeds  larp'ly  confirmed  his  opinion. 

This  earli<T  Oxford  movement  made  no  imim-ssion  on  the 
University  when  compared  with  that  led  a  hundred  vears 
later  by  Rose,  Keble,  I'usey,  Ilurrell  Fronde,  and  .\ewman. 
Some  of  its  followers,  as  already  obstrved,  became  th^- 
censors  of  the  later  Methodism  of  which  it  was  a  foretoken 
rather  than  a  cause.  Ind, -d,  bnt  for  Whitefield  and  the 
Wesleys,  Oxford  ^b■thudism  would  have  been  no  more 
than  an  ephemeral  outburst  of  pi„ns  devotion;  an  earnest 
inquiry  for  the  heart  of  the  (lospel  rather  than  a  mani- 
festation of  the  (m.>pc1's  siibduin,!,'  grace.  Its  isolation  and 
environment  wonl.l  have  succ^sfnlly  impeded  anv  propa- 
ganda, since  Oxford  at  that  time  could  scarcely  maintain, 
far  less  originate,  vitality  in  inoraK  or  religion.'  .\or  were 
the  few  who  enlisted  in  the  preinatur.'  attempt  as  yet 
equipped  for  a  crusad<'  in  behalf  of   spiritual    r.'generation. 


JOMX    WKSLKY 


205 


In  fact,  tlic  majority  n'taiiicl    tliroiifrliout    life  the  sense  of 
elerical    separatism   and    excessive    deference    to    elmrehly 
authority  which  formed  an  effective  l)arrier  hetween   them 
and  democracy.     Tiie  enter|)ri>e  was  connnendable  heeause 
it  rebtrKed   a    m  irihund    I'niversily.      Vet  it  proved    that 
sucli  reh^ious  elforts,  aithou^'li  tai<infr  their  rise  in  centers 
of  learm'nf,',  must  find  a  si)eedy  outlet  in  tiie  unhamjxTed 
serviw  of  the  peojjh-,  or  dwindle  and  j)erish  at  the  source. 
The   venerable  rector  of  Kpworth  was  now  approaching 
the  end  (.f  his  ministry,  and  in  January,  17:}."),  he  sujJKested 
to   John   the    •)ropriety  of    becoming,'   iiis  >uccessor.      In   a 
later  letter   he   put   the  matter  more  definitely  and    urged 
it  as  a  personal  re(|uest.     We.dey's  reply  revealed  his  need 
of  emancipation  from  the  notion  that  he  was  oi.ly  safe  when 
sequestered.     He  gav  a  h'ugthy  b-it  irrele\ant  list  of  reasons 
for  remainiuK  «here  he  was,  their  burden  being  that  he  was 
determined  to  shun  the  world  and  its  distracting  activities, 
in  order  that  l.e  might  ], reserve  intellectual  growth  from  the 
blight   of  material   concern^,   and    diicld    religious   contem- 
I)latioii  from    the  assail      -its  af    hypocrisy  or  wickedness. 
He  eouhl  be  holier  in  (K.ord,  lu   asserted,  than  anywhere 
else.     Mingled    with   this   ambition    was    his    love    for   the 
University,  a  sentiment  not  readily  appraised  by  those  who 
have  not  felt  its  for-v.     His  father  was  bewildered  by  the 
scruples  John  raised,    nid  his  reply  seems  to  have  removed 
them.     "  It  is  not  dear  self,"  he  wrote,  with  mature  wisdom, 
"but  the  glory  of  (iod,  and  the  diil'erent  degrees  of  promoting 
it,  which  should   be  our  main  consideration  and  direction 
in  the  choice  of  any  course  of  life";   and  again,  "I  cannot 
allow  austerity,  or  fa>ting.  considered  by  themselves,  to  be 
proper  acts  of  holiness,  nor  am   I  for  a  solitary  life.     God 
made  us  for  a  social  life;    we  are  not  to  bury  our  talent; 
we  are  to  let  our  light  shine  before  men,  ami  that  not  nicreb' 
through  the  chinks  of  a  bushel   for  fear  the  wind  should 
blow  it  out."  '     This  was  a   lu'althy  breeze  from  the  fen 
>  C.  T.  Wiuchester;   "The  Life  of  John  \Vu.~ley"  ;   p.  39. 


11 


i 


i\ 

• ;  li 

I; 
ill 


'^:■^ 


V  I 


Till 


UKLICIOIS    I.KADKKS   OF    OXKOKIi 


■f 


i    • 


J: 


(■niiiitr\  uliuli  ImIiii'-,  tiicrvjitiiif,'  ;ifm()>|)litTc  .sori'ly  lu'i-drd, 
iiikI  after  t'lirtlur  (liM'ii>>iuii  he  mailc  ,1  lu-latcd  anil  iiiisuc- 
(rs>t'iil  a|)i)li(ati()?i  t'nr  the  Ki)\v(»rtli  liviii),'. 

Tlif  rvcXnT  (lied  on  Ajiril  iT),  1 7.!.'),  joyous  and  liopi't'iil 
to  till'  la>t.  Tliirty-t'ij;lu  of  tlif  forty-six  years  of  liis  pas- 
torate had  l)eeii  >peiit  in  tlie  one  parish,  and  lie  took  leave  of 
it  and  of  his  dear  ones  with  a  holy  (•(»iifidence  whieh  his 
son  Charles,  who  was  with  him  at  the  time  of  his  decrase, 
must  have  had  in  mind  when  he  composed  some  of  his 
matehless  hymns  upon  the  triumph  of  the  saints  in  their 
mortal  hour.  John  was  still  hent  on  "saving  his  own  soul," 
and  this  resohuion  dictated  his  acceptance  of  an  invitation 
to  estahlish  a  mission  in  (Jeorgia.  The  longed-for  conscious- 
ness of  his  personal  relation  to  CJod  tlirough  Christ  Jesus, 
which  he  had  hitherto  failed  to  gain,  might,  he  thought,  be 
achieved  l>y  his  consecration  to  the  task  of  converting  the 
Indians.  He  set  everything  else  aside  for  the  i)rirnitive  and 
unpromising  conditions  of  a  recently  founded  settlement  in 
the  New  World.  .\s  Dr.  Workman  pithily  observes,  "  In 
words  that  would  have  charmed  a  Rousseau  he  dreamed  of 
a  return  to  nature  as  a  return  to  gracr."  "  I  cannot  hope," 
said  Wesley,  "to  attain  the  same  degree  of  holiness  here 
which  I  may  attain  there.  '  Charles  shared  his  sentiments 
and  joined  his  mission,  and  also  agreed  with  John's  un- 
sophisticated ideas  concerning  the  imiate  virtues  of  the 
Indians  among  whom  they  proposed  to  dwell.  Having 
()l)tained  their  widowed  mother's  consent  and  blessing,  they 
sailed  for  (leorgia  in  the  month  of  October,  173.'),  accimi- 
panicd  by  Heiijamin  Ingham,  a  member  of  the  Holy  Club, 
and  Charles  Delamotte,  a  friend  and  also  an  Oxford  man. 

(leneral  Oglethorpe,  the  founder  and  first  governor  of 
(Jeorgia,  the  youngest  of  the  Knglish  colonies  in  Xorth 
America,  was  the  son  of  Sir  Theoi)hilus  Oglethorpe  of  (lodai- 
ming  in  Surrey.  His  varied  career  was  full  of  interesting 
events  as  a  soldier,  legislator,  pioneer,  philanthropist,  and 
patron  of  literature.     Dr.  Johnson  w  as  his  intimate  friend,  and 


II 


JOHN   WESLEY 


207 


Hannah  More,  the  high  priestess  of  the  Evangelicals,  spoke 
of  Oglethorpe  as  "a  delightful  old  beau."  Touched  by  the 
miseries  of  the  English  prisoners  f((r  debt  he  determined  to 
give  the  unfortunate  inmates  of  the  I'leet  and  the  Marshalsea 
another  opportunity  beyond  the  seas,  lie  required  a  chap- 
lain for  the  expedition  who  would  care  both  for  the  whites 
of  the  proposed  colony  and  for  the  Indians.  Dr.  Burton  of 
Corpus  Christi  College  recommended  .John  Wesley  for  the 
post.  The  Epworth  family  was  already  known  to  the  (ien- 
eral ;  he  had  been  the  largest  subscriber  to  the  rector's 
volume  on  Job,  and  by  this  and  other  timely  assistance 
had  won  the  author's  alFectionate  gratitude,  who  declared 
that  had  he  been  a  younger  man  he  would  have  joined 
Oglethorpe's  enterprise.  I'nder  these  favorable  circum- 
stances John  and  Charles  were  offered  tiie  position.  Their 
acceptance  was  actuated  by  their  desire  for  personal  sanctity, 
and  by  a  solicitude  for  the  cure  of  souls  and  the  extension 
of  God's  kingdom. 

Other  clergymen  had  anticipated  their  missionary  effort; 
their  father,  as  we  have  noted,  had  his  dreams  of  a  more 
aggressive  Christianity  in  foreign  parts;  ami  Bishop  George 
Berkeley  preceded  them  and  tlieir  comrades  in  his  attempt 
to  establish  the  Gospel  among  the  peoi)lc  of  Bernnida,  leav- 
ing an  attractive  position  in  England  only  to  return  a  dis- 
illusioned and  defeated  man.  The  college  he  had  plaimed 
was  still  unbuilt,  and  Oglethorpe  obtained  his  consent  to 
petition  Parliament  that  the  funds  assigned  for  its  erection 
should  be  <liverte(l  to  the  Georgian  scheme.  The  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  also  supported  the  Gen- 
tTal's  undertaking,  and  public  grants  and  i)rivate  gifts  were 
contributed  toward  the  necessary  expenses.  During  the 
westward  voyage  of  the  Simmnnd.s  the  Oxford  men  faith- 
fully observed  their  religious  exercises,  and  when  some  of 
the  ship's  officers  took  umbrage  at  this  they  drew  upon 
themselves  a  severe  rebuke  from  Oglcthorfjc.  Among  the 
passengers    were   twenty-six    Moravians,   headed    by   their 


il 


r 

I 


2()S      THHF:K    RRLKMOl'S    LKADKKS   OF   OXFOUO 


I   ■    s 

I     !      1 


,{ 


liisliop,  David  Nitscliiniimi,  who  wt-n'  alxMit  to  join  tlu'ir 
hrrtliroii  alrcaily  scttli'd  in  (M'ori;ia.  Their  acquaintaiife 
witli  \\csicv  and  his  companions  was  frauj,'ht  with  impor- 
tant constHint'iices,  which  necessitate  a  hrief  aeeount  of  the 
Church  they  rejjresented. 

Count  Ziiizen(h)rf  avoweil   it   had   not  been  founded    by 
him,  but  was  "the  most  ancient  of  the  Protestant  Churches, 
if  not  their  conunon  mother,"  since  its  origin  (hited  from  the 
movement  of  Jolui  Hus  in  the  early  fifteenth  century.     After 
numerous  vicissitudes  the   Brethren,  as  they  called   them- 
selves, attained  a  mnnerical  growth  which  in  ItlO!)  included 
half  the  Trotestants  of  Hohemia  and  more  than  half  those 
of  Moravia.     Hut  the  Thirty  Years'  War  practically  abol- 
ished their  coUKrcKations,  and  for  a  century  afterwards  they 
were  an  almost  extinct  boily.     The  renowned  bishop,  John 
.\mos   Comeni\is,    whose   work,    "Tlie   (Ireat    Didactic,"   is 
still  one  of  the  textbooks  of  historical   educati(m,  had   pre- 
served, however,  tiie  episcojial  succession  and  di.scipline,  and 
after  decimatinj;  persecutions  in  Moravia  the  Church  was 
resuscitated    in    (Jermany.     Its    members,    descendants    of 
former  '^uTman   immijirants,   retreated   to  the   Fatherland, 
crossing  the  border  into  .Saxony,  and  were  received  at  Herrn- 
hut  '   l)y  Count  /inzendorf,  who  had  to  satisfy  the  State 
government  that  tlie  community  could   bi>  brr>uKht  under 
the  conditions  of  the  i)eace  of  Augsburj;,  and  also  quiet  the 
misjriviiifis   and    suspicions    of   tlie    Lutheran    elerfiy.     The 
refu;jees    belonj;ed    to    more    tiian    one    sect ;      oppressions 
ha<i  made  them  cling  pertinaciously  to  small  ditterences  of 
belief,  worship,  and  polity,  and  it  was  with  the  utmost  diffi- 
culty that  the  Count  induce<l  them  to  live  together  harmo- 
niously.    Despite    his    high    personal  example  and  tireless 
energy,  their  conduct  was  so  fanatical  that  they  combined 
in  his  own  house  to  denounce  Zinzeiidorf  as  the  Heast   of 


'  Ziiizt'iidorf  (itTcrcd  thcni  an  anvluiii  (in  liis  (•>(latc  of  H<Ttli«'ls(i<>rf, 
when-  \o  Imilt  for  tlirni  thr  villam-  of  Horriiliut  (tlio  Lord's  keopiiiK).  Tin- 
rc'fuKi'i>  ranie  thither  in   various  groups  lictwcen    ITl.'^  and    IT:iL'. 


fl 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


209 


the  Apocalypse,  and  liis  liclper  Kotlie  as  the  False  l'r(»i)liet. 
Treseiitly  a  better  temper  obtained,  and  tlie.\  i-ont'omied  to 
the  Couiit's  wishes.  Instead  of  revixinj;  Mora\ian  finlers 
they  professed  themselves  as  |)ietistic  Lutherans,  and 
attended  the  services  of  the  parish  church.  Hut  after  an 
extraonlinary  unifyiiif;  exi)erien<e  at  a  Conununion  Service 
on  August  \'-l,  1727,  they  renewed  their  allegiance  to  Mora- 
vianism,  and  that  date  has  since  been  celebrated  as  it> 
birthday. 

Two  conflicting  parties  were  now  found  among  them. 
The  first  regardeil  Zinzentlorf  as  their  head,  and  built  their 
settlements  on  the  estates  of  friendly  noblemen,  where  they 
lived  a  retired  life  and  enriched  the  spirituality  of  "the 
scattered"  in  the  Church  at  large  without  attempting  to 
proselytize.  The  second  was  recognized  in  i74!t  by  the 
British  Parliament  as  an  ancient  IVotestant  Epi.scopal 
("hurch  and  i)layed  a  significant  part  in  the  religious  revival 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  importance  of  the  Moravians 
must  be  measured  by  their  influence  uj)on  Christendom  at 
large,  and  upon  such  individuals  as  the  Wcsleys,  Schleier- 
macher,  and,  in  a  measure,  Cioethe.  Their  contril)Ution  to 
the  missionary  spirit  of  Protestantism  is  notable  for  the 
fact  that  they  were  the  first  to  revive  the  duty  of  the 
Church  to  present  the  Ciospel  to  all  nations.  Thi>  achieve- 
ment, together  with  their  blameless  conduct,  has  given  them 
an  ascendency  in  Europe  and  .\inerica  altogether  out  of 
proportion  to  their  numbers,  which,  as  late  as  l',H)i»   showed 

o  more  than  444  congregations  with  (i2,()'.H'>  communicants. 
Their  first  appearance  in  Kngland  dates  from  the  early 
seventeenth  century,  when,  during  the  first  stages  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War  the  Pohemian  Protestants  were  routed 
at  the  battle  of  White  Hill,  fought  in  1(120,  and  the  Brethren, 
driven  from  their  homes,  took  refuge  in  various  countries.' 
Their  simiilicity  and  fraternit\ ,  expressed  in  a  .social  life 
of    ordered    piet\ ,    were    singularly    attractixf ;    and    they 


Kiii-,vili>iiaMlia  lirituimira,  lltlj  Ivliiion.  Artiilc 


Till'  Mor:iviuus. 


I 


I 

til 
W 
n 


If 
fl 

I'' 


I 

1 

•  i 

1      !    i 


"f       4 


I    ■     I 

I 


1    '     i 


210      TIIHKE    UKLIOIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 

made  a  ^\vv\^  iiiipri'ssion  on  devout  and  meditative  people 
wvary  of  a  hard  and  snpirficial  ap'.  Julia  Weil^wood  fit- 
tiiij;ly  >ptak.s  of  the  "cool  iii\ sticisin  of  these  monks  of 
Protestantism"  uhidi  •' mh  •ded  a  weleome  shade  from  the 
l)rosaic  aridity  of  rationalism."  ' 

Durin-;  the  tedious  voyage  of  the  Sinimomh,  Wesley  had 
ample  opportimity  for  the   close   (.hservation    of   a  people 
whose    Christianity    was    hoth    unusual    and    exemplary. 
Their  patient  wiilin-rness  to  serve  the  sick,  their  humility, 
untaina-d  hy  self-consciousness,  and  their  tranquil  behavior 
•  luriiiK   the    fierce   >torms   which   swe|)t    the   Atlantic,  won 
his  respect  and   confidence.     "Were  you  not  afraid r*    he 
queried,  after  a   hurricane.     "I    thank    (Jod,   no."  replied 
the  one  aiMresM'd.     Tliis  insensibility  to  the  peril  of  the 
ocean,  which   was  not   permitted   to  interrupt   their  stated 
worshij),  aroused  Wesley's  curiosity  and  his  repeated  refer- 
ences to  the  Moravians  revealed  his  interest  in  them  and 
their  affairs,     .\fter  landing  at  Savannah,  he  sought  them 
out  ajjain.  and  asked  one  of  their  elders.  August  (Jottlieb 
Spaiigenberj;,  to  advise  witli  him  alxmt  his  new  field.    "  Have 
.\()U,"  said  Spanpenberj:,  "  the  witness  within  yourself?     Does 
the  Spirit  of  (lod  bear  witness  with  your  spirit  that  you  are 
a  child  of  (Jody-     Wesley  faltered"  before  these  pertinent 
inquiries,  whereupon  the  Moravian  elder  pushed  them  home. 
"  I  )o  you  know  Jesus  ( "hrist  ?  "  he  continued.     "  I  know  that 
He  is  the  Sa\iour  of  the  World,"  rejoined  Wesley.     "True, 
but  do  you  know  He  has  saved  you ?"     "  I  hope  He  has  died' 
to  save  me."  was  the  hesitatinj:  answer.     "Do  vou  know 
yourself?"    his    inquisitor    demanded.     Wesley    was    non- 
plused by  this  pointed  address,  couched  in  terms  afterwards 
fannhar  enou^'h,  but  which  were  then  strange  to  him.     He 
could   only  express  a   faint   affirmative,   ami   subsequently 
doubted  whether  he  was  justified  even  in  that.     He  lived  foV 
a  time  with  the  Brethren,  and  discovered  in  them  other 

tury"'"!"p%4 ''''"^'  "'"^  ""■  ^^'"•■">«^"'''»'   Keactiou  of  the  Eighteenth  Cen- 


I 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


211 


vita!  elements  of  reli>;i.)ii  till  then  foreiKn  to  his  coneeptions. 
Their  election  and  ordination  of  a  bishop  prompted  the  fol- 
lowinR  reflection:  "The  great  simplicity,  as  well  as  solem- 
nity, of  the  whole,  alnio>t  made  me  forget  the  seventeen 
hundred  years  between,  and  imagine  myself  in  one  of  those 
assemblies  where  form  atiil  state  were  not,  but  Paul  the  tent- 
maker  or  Peter  the  fisherman  presided,  yet  with  the  demon- 
stration of  the  Sj)irit  and  of  |)ower."  '  It  was  indeed  a 
far  cry  from  stately  Oxford  and  the  latitndinarian  Georgian 
clergy  to  these  few  radiant  souls  on  a  lonely  shore  where 
the  light  of  a  hitherto  unsuspccteil  phase  of  Christian  ex- 
perience began  to  play  ujx.n  Wesley's  sacramentarian- 
ism.  He  did  not  yield  to  it,  however,  without  a  severe 
and  prolonged  struggle,  and  he  was  never  more  active  as  a 
champion  of  ecclesiastical  fornuilism  than  during  his  sojourn 
at  Savannah,  wliich  lasted  from  February  ,"),  17;;(),  until 
December  2,  17;}7.  Hut  he  had  seen,  if  only  as  thrf>ugh  a 
glass  darkly,  the  great  trutli  that  the  divine  order  is  not 
perfectly  fulfilled  till  the  soul  has  l)clievc<l,  not  because  of 
indirect  evidence,  but  beca\isc  of  its  regenerating  contact 
with  the  living  Christ.  And  that  gliuiiw  nnist  be  remem- 
bered by  those  who  would  understand  Wesley's  career. 


'  "The  Journal  of  Johu  Wesley' 
Vol.  I,  p.  170. 


edited  by  ilev.  N'ehemiah  Curnock, 


J.  fi 


1^1 


i 


m 


CIIAITKK  VI 
DAUKNKSS  AM)  DAWN 


I 


213 


mi 


iM 


li 


Oft  whrn  llip  Word  \*  on  tnr  to  drlivrr, 
Lifts  till'  illii'ioM,  mill  tlic  truth  lirs  lijiro: 
I)f*rrt  or  tliroii(;,  tlir  liiv  or  tin-  tImt, 
Mcll^  in  II  liii'iij  l'araili>i'  of  nir, 

Only  likr  mmi!^  I  mt  tiu'  folk  tiirrruntltT, 

Itoiiiiil  wlio  ^lioiilil  corKiiiiT,  >lii\i's  who  ^lioulii  Ik'  kin^i,  — 

llc.'iriii).'  tliiir  onr  Iio|h'  with  an  i'iii|ity  wonder, 

Siully  rontcnti'd  in  a  ^how  of  lhinj{i;    - 

Thrn  with  a  rii--li  the  iiUiltTalilc  craving 
SluMT-.  lhroii;;lioiit  riic  likf  a  trMiii|>it  lall,  — 
Oh  to  -.avc  ihoci  to  |Mri-li  for  lliiir  sa\iii({, 
l)ii'  for  thiir  lifi-,  lir  otTiTi-d  for  thcni  all ! 


H 

If 

h 


(liM'  trie  a  voice,  a  cry,  and  a  iciiiipliiining,  — 

OK  let  my  s<iuni|  l>c  stormy  in  their  i'ar>I 

Throat  that  would  ^hoiit  liul  i  aniiot  ^tay  for  -^traiiunf, 

Kyt's  that  would  weep  hut  cannot  wait  for  t(  ,irs. 

Quick  in  a  nioini-nt,  inlinitc  for  ever. 
Send  an  arousal  licttcr  than  I  pray, 
(live  inc  a  Kfacc  upon  the  f.iiiit  end.  ivor 
Souls  for  my  hire  and  I'cni.  coxt  t()-...iv  I 

F.  W.  II.  .MvtK.-<    Saint  Paul,  X\1I  and  XX. 


till 


(-1 


214 


.3'.:.^in0nM 


CIIAITKII    VI 

DARKN'KSS    AND    DWVN 

Wi'-ilry   ill   CiiMir^'iii  —  HiliK'imi^    (■oiirliiidii    of    tin-    srttliT-t — riinrles 

rcliiriH  to  Kiiirluml  Mi><  lli>|>kry  Williiim^nn'^  ^nit  il^:ilill^t  \Vl■.|(■y 
\V^  >lc,\ '^  rftiirn  til  l',in;hiiiil      Kirnt  (if  ( iciiririii  iiii^^iiiii  on  lii^  liitrr 

ilr\')'lii|iiiirnt  I'ctir  HnliliT  WV-lcy'^  di-i'iiti'  vutli  Williiiin  l.iW 
l\\*  I  iiiivir^iiiii        Its  rr^iilN       Siicial  cim.litiuii  of  I'ii^IiiikI  in   the 

fiKhtci'iith  tTiilury    -  TIk.-  I'tfiTt  uf  .MrlliiMli-.iii  on   Kn^ti^li    nutiuiial 

life. 

I 

Wksi.ky's  roifloncc  in  ricnrjriii  i-i  ilc-^crilu'd  at  h'lintli  in 
tlif  ru'W  eilition  nf  his  .Idiinial,  fur  w  liidi  tlic  <  'liri-'tiaii  ( 'liiircli 
is  uikUt  lil^tiM^:  i>lili;;ati<iii  to  it>  |)aiii>takiiii;  editor,  tlic 
Uevcrond  Nt'liciniaii  ('iirnnck.'  It  i:i\i--  a  ;.Tapliic  picture 
of  the  social  and  relij;ion>  cotiditions  of  tlie  colony  wliicli 
have  only  to  lie  coinnreliendcd  to  explain  \Vesle\  's  conijiara- 
tive  failure  there  :  indeeil,  the  wonder  i->  that  he  did  any  ^ood 
whatever  for  so  motley  and  turhiilciit  a  thronj;.  It  is  note- 
worthy that  the  brethren  mcim  to  have  lieen  ecpially  unsuc- 
cessful;  des|)ite  their  e\an;;elical  teachin;;  they  were  unalile 
to  overcome  the  inditViTcnce  and  re>er\t'  of  the  emi^irants, 
whose  scanty  munhers  emhraced  various  nationalities  and 
beliefs,  with  few  things  in  common  exceiit  iirnorance  and 
prejudice.  The  Moravians  and  Salzliurgers  did  not  need 
Wesley's  oversight,  havini;  their  own  Hi>liop  Nitschmaim. 
The  Scotch  lii^hlanders  dung  to  their  priestless  wiirship, 
and  otVended  'A'esley's  sense  of  decorum  liy  assemliling  in  a 
barn.  FreiK  li  IIuf,'Uenots,  Italian  Waldenses,  and  Spanish 
Jews  formed  the  fringe  of  a  population  of  broken  Knglishmen, 
including;  insolvent  (iebtors  and  disappointed  ailventurers,  of 

'Died,  NcivciiiImi-  1,  1015. 

•2\r, 


'11 

hi 
I 


li^ 


1)1 


fi 


ii 


ff'.Vyit-lMT3»-' 


i<.  wi'  xn^ifs'asi':.  a  '^'KiKvmmtiiitn^rwnr- 


•I 

t  I 


i 


210      TUHKK    UKLKilOUS   LILVDKRS  OF   OXFORD 

some  ()f  whom  tlu-  Motlierlaiid  was  well  riJ,  whose  chief 
pursuits  were  found   in   the  ale-house  or  in  low  intrigues 
a}.'ainst  the  parson  who  (ienounced  rum  and  slavery.     Such 
parishioners  would  doubtless  have  afforded  a  more  moderate 
man  a  welcome  excuse  for  beiiif,'  cautious  in  his  dealings  with 
them.     Hut  Oglethorpe  crave!  Wesley's  aid,  and  he  aban- 
doned his  mission  to  the  Indians,  who  showed  no  propensity 
f.)r  anything  better  than  tribal  wars  and  the  vicious  habits 
of  the  white  settlers,  that  he  might  enforce  upon  the  latter 
a   meticulous   code  of  ordinances  in  accordance  with  the 
literal    directions   of   the    Hook   of   Common    Prayer.     His 
rc(piircments  wtrc  so  exacting  as  to  suggest  that  he  was  not 
altogether  as>urcd  in  his  own  mind  of  their  legitimacy  or 
usefulness.     "Me   that    belicveth    shall    not    nu.ke    haste"; 
an.l    Wesley's  ardor  in    imposing   this    regimen,   which   he 
hnnself  observed   by  g(.ing  miisIkhI,   reading  prayers  thrice 
every  day,  fasting,  communicating,  and   refusing  to  bury 
Dissenters,  or  baptize  children   save   by   triple   immer.sicm, 
may  have  been   an  indication  of  the  secret  longings  of   a 
spirit  which  found  vent  but  not  satisfacti(m  in  the  minutice 
of  punctilious  ecclesiasticism.     The   .Moravians,   who  were 
also  in  that  Apostolical  .Succession  which  he  held  neces.sary 
to  faith  and  order,  and  upon  which  he  believed  the  stability 
of  the  Church  and  the  (Jospel  depended,  did  not  encourage 
his   sacerdotalism    nor   make  experiments  .similar  to  those 
which  inc\  itably  led  to  his  disappointment.     Yet  they  lived 
in  the  strength  of  a  calm  and  constant  joy,  while  he,  ill  at 
ease  and  restless  in  spirit,   "drenched   his   flock    with   the 
physic  of  an  intolerant  discipline."     Many  rebelled  against 
his  lack  nf  wisdom  ;  others,  however,  di.sarmed  by  his  personal 
piety  and   hi-,   iM<c>sant   labors   in   their  behalf,  at  length 
yielded  him  a  reluctant  snp[)ort. 

i:(|ii;illy  tiictle->  w,is  (jiarhs  Wesley's  connection  with 
the  nnssiuii.  During  a  >ix  months'  stay  at  Frederica,  a 
Miiall  towii.jii,,  MMith  of  Savannah,  he  alienated  nearly 
e\erybo.|y.  and  ended  by  (iiiarreling  with  Oglethorpe,  where- 


.loMX  \vr;sij:v 


21: 


upon  he  returned  home.  lolin's  (h>illusionment  was  now 
eomph'te,  and  tlie  impending  liostihty  between  him  and 
the  eohmists  was  preeipitated  hy  his  h)ve  uH'air  with  Miss 
Sophy  Ilopkey.  This  younf;  huly  was  the  niece  and  ward  of 
Thomas  Causton,  the  principal  mafiistrate  of  Savannali. 
a  man  of  doubtful  antece<ients.  and  of  an  overhearinj;  and 
boorish  disposition  whicli  attractt'd  to  iiim  accpiaintances 
of  a  like  kind.  His  home  became  tiie  resort  of  dissolute 
characters,  and  afforded  little  protection  to  a  beautiful, 
modest,  and  affectionate  ^irl  of  ei>;hteen.  One  of  her  uncle's 
boon  companions,  who  hail  shortly  l)efore  proposed  inar- 
riajie  to  her,  was  arrested  and  tiirown  into  jail.  Tliis 
humiliating  experience  drove  Miss  llopkex  to  the  consola- 
tions of  relijrion,  an<l  her  friendship  with  Wesley  devehtped 
rapitlly.  When  she  removed  to  Frederica  to  escai)e  the  Caus- 
tons  and  the  threats  of  her  imprisoned  ailmirer,  Wesley  fol- 
lowed and  be};j;i'<l  ''*'•"  t<»  return.  His  persuasions,  coupled 
with  Ojjlethorpe's,  induceil  her  to  do  so,  and  the  two  younj; 
people  made  the  six  days'  journey  back  to  Savannah  tojjether. 
While  encamped  one  cold,  stormy  rii^dit  on  St.  Katherines 
Island,  Wesley,  moved  by  a  sudden  impulse,  earnestly  de- 
claretl,  "Miss  Sophy,  I  >houlil  think  myxlf  happy  if  I  was 
to  spend  my  life  with  yoi-,"  at  which  she  be^'^'cd  him  not 
to  speak  to  her  aj;ain  "on  this  head,"  but  in  such  a  way  as 
to  indicate  that  the  declaration  was  not  distasteful  to  her. 
On  their  arrival  at  Savannah  she  spent  her  mornings  and 
eveniufjs  with  Wesley,  the  ("austons,  who  reuarded  the 
match  as  assured,  consentinj;  to  the  arranjiement.  Devo- 
tional exercises  and  literary  studies  could  not  prevent  what 
Wesley  ingenuously  calls  "such  intimacy  of  conversation  as 
ours  was."  Here  began  the  tragic  struggle  between  love 
and  duty,  the  alternate  i)lia>es  of  which  arc  recorded  in  the 
Journal.  His  friends  Ingliam  and  Dclamotte  for  somewhat 
selfish  reasons  opposed  the  marriage,  and  after  the  former 
had  returned  home,  Delamotte  ini|)lored  Wesley  to  surren- 
der all   claims   to  the   ladv  of  his  choice.     The   assertion 


i 


•11^ 
ill 


i 


218 


THREK    RKLIOIOUS   LKADERS   OF   OXFORD 


til.      tu.  Moravans^av.-sn.hadvHv  is  incorrect;   indeed, 
"tsdu^.  the  pastor,  astonislu-d  the  despondent  lover  by 
(Itrlarins.     I  see  no  reason  why  you  should  not  marry  her  " 
I  ■;■  aHa.r  was  another   instance  of   that  witless  suscepti- 
bility  to   femnnne   society   which   Wesley   had   previously 
evinced  in  the  case  of  the  far  less  worthy  Mrs.  Hawkins 
7"'"  he  met  on  shipboard.     Yet  while  his  heart  was  deeply 
affected,  his  sense  of  responsibility  to  the  ministrv  and  his 
conviction  that  he  should  live  a  single,  life  warred  against 
his  inclinations.     Miss  Hopke^'  naturally  resented  his  vacil- 
lations, an,l  the  nu-thods  he  a.l(,pted  to  reach  an  irrevocable 
decision  wm>  not  c-alculate,l  to  appease  her.     After  prayer 
\Y-sley  and  Delainotte  procecdcl  t.»  a  solemn  casting  of  lots, 
when  the  latter  drew  the  paper  on  which  was  written  the 
last  alternative.  '-Think  no  nx.re  of  it."  and  Wesley  at  once 
accepted  this  as  a  .li\i„c  injunction  against  the  marriage 

^uch  talismanic  dealing  with  a  pure  and  natural  attach- 
ment was  its  own  ••ondcmnation.     Determined  as  he  was 
to  find  and  follow  the  Highest  Will  in  a  matter  so  important. 
^^esleys  Ignorance  of  the  feminine  nature  and  his  repre- 
•onsib  e  habit  ot  settling  questions  of  moment  in  a  hap- 
i.a.ar<    way  were   responsible,   for   the   unhappiness   which 
ensued      M,ss    lopkey  was  by  far  the  m..st  suitable  woman 
he  could  have  chosen  for  his  wife,  and  probably  she  was  the 
<>nl.^■  wc,man  he  ever  really  loved.     He  was  then  thirtv-three 
A-ears  „ld,  and  when  uiu-mbarrassed  by  his  leanings  toward 
ce  ibacy,  an   msistc-nt  and  anient  suitor.     She,  while  eon- 
suierably  his  junior,  was  unusually  mature  for  her  age.  and 
needed  the  help  an<l  guidance  such  a  husband  as  Wesley 
would  have  given.     Although  not  his  equal  in  e<lucation. 
she  surpass...|  him  in  iiriidencc  and  courage  under  difficult 
circuinstanc-es,  and  her  affectionate  .lisposition  warrants  the 
assumption  that,  ha.l  he  forme.1  a  union  with  her,  he  would 
have  been  save<l  from  the  domestic  wretchedness  to  which 
he    wiis    afterwanls    subjected.     His    sentinientalitv    over- 
spread the  entire  proceedings  with  a  half-fabulous  tinge. 


i! 

i  I 

:  i 

w 

1 


JOHN   WESLEY 


219 


The  credulity  he  displayed  in  arriving  at  his  decision  by  lot, 
a  trait  which  sometimes  impedes  reason  and  practicality  in 
one  who  is  known  as  a  master  of  men,  was  always  latent  in 
Wesley,  at  intervals  dimly  present,  and  occasionally  far  too 
active  for  his  good  or  for  tlie  good  of  others. 

The  sequel  of  this  unfortunate  incident  was  grievous 
enough.  Miss  Ilopkey,  prompted  by  her  relatives,  accepted 
a  certain  Thomas  Williamson  as  her  prospective  husband, 
and,  much  to  Wesley's  distress,  became  his  wife  a  few  days 
after  the  separation  from  the  man  of  her  heart.  Her  decla- 
ration that  she  would  never  marry  was  thus  violated  by 
events  which  she  could  not  altogether  control;  where- 
upon Wesley  began  to  act  in  a  maimer  indicative  of  the 
feelings  of  the  injured  lover  who  was  also  a  domineering 
priest.  Williamson  was  naturally  unwilling  that  his  wife 
should  have  any  further  acquaintance  with  Wesley,  and 
would  not  allow  her  to  enter  the  parsonage.  Wesley,  on 
the  othvi-  hand,  exhorted  her  to  continue  her  religious  duties, 
and  upon  her  failing  to  do  so  with  regularity,  proceeded  to 
rebuke  her.  On  the  strength  of  a  talebearer's  gossip  he 
further  upbraided  her;  and  at  length,  about  five  months 
after  her  marriage,  publicly  excluded  her  from  the  Lord's 
Table.  Her  husband,  justly  outragifl  at  this  inexcusable 
action,  brought  suit  against  Wesley  for  defaming  her 
character.  The  malcontents  of  the  town,  with  Causton  as 
their  leader,  ranged  themselves  on  Williamson's  side  of  the 
quarrel,  and  desired  nothing  better  than  such  an  oppor- 
tunity for  getting  rid  of  a  pastor  who  had  frequently  offended 
them  for  righteousness'  sake.  However,  when  the  charges 
against  him  were  sifted  from  the  scandals  and  calumnies 
with  which  the  small  and  self-centered  community  aboundiKl, 
no  case  was  left  against  Wesley.  He  had  acted  within  his 
clerical  rights,  although  in  such  a  way  as  to  impair  the  con- 
fidence of  the  best  people  of  the  settlement  in  his  motives, 
and  the  agitation  which  followed  ended  his  usefulness  in 
Georgia. 


M 


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iJ 

220      TIIKKK    KKLKilOLS    LKADKKS  OK   OXKOKD 

Di"    iiKitto  a;,'rfi'(l  with  liiiii   tliat   his  In-st  coiirsf  was  to 
return    iioim-,  iitid  acconliiif^ly  \w  |)()ste(i  a    notice  in  tin- 
|)iil)Hc  Miuart'  of  Savannah  tliat  iio  was  alxiut  to  leave  the 
colony.      Mr.  Willianixm  at  once  announced  that   he  had 
sued  Wesley  tor  one  thousand  |)oun(Is  damaj;es,  and  woulil 
prosecute   any    one   who    ai(h'd    liis   escape.      Tiie    niajjis- 
trates  also  forhade   him  to  leave  until   the  case  had  been 
heard.     Wesley  reminded  them  that  he  had  attended  seven 
sessions    of    the    Court,    at    none    of    which    had    he    been 
aUowed  to  answer  the  char>;es  apiinst   him.     Xeverthelcss 
they  demanded    that    he    si>;n   a   l)ond,   j)ledj;inf;    himself, 
under  a  ju-nalty  of  fifty  |)ounds,  to  appear  in  Court  when- 
ever rccpiired  to  do  so.     He  refused  to  }?ive  either  l)ond  or 
hail,  and  the  niaj;istrate>  retfliated  by  ordering'  the  officers 
of  the  law  to  prevent  his  dei)artnre.     Thee  measures  may 
have  been  a  mere  preteuM-,  but,  whether  seriously  intended 
or  not,  they  failed,     .\fter  excnin^'  prayers,  which  he  con- 
ducted   pul)licly  before  p. in-;   to   the   boat,  Wesley,  ac'-om- 
panied    by    four    friendly    nn'U,    .set    out    for    Purrysburf;, 
twenty  miles  down  the  river,  and  arrived  there  the  follow- 
ing; morning.     From  l*urry>l>ur>;  the  i)arty  of  five  went  on 
foot  to  Port   IJoyal,  an  exhau-tin^'  journe\    throuf;h  track- 
less forests  and  swamps.     From   Port   Hoyal  they  shipped 
to  Charlestown,  and   there  Wesh         nbarked  for  Knj;land 
on  l)cceml)er  21.  I7:!7. 

Such  were  some  of  the  main  factors  in  his  (ieorjiian  i)repa- 
ration  for  a  f,'reater  eml):issy.  When  the  day  of  his  mis- 
sion dawned,  he  oliscrved,  "Many  reasons  I  have  to  bh-ss 
Ciofl  for  my  having'  l)ecn  carrierl  to  .\merica  contrary  to  all 
my  prccediiiir  roolution^.  'riiereby  I  trust  He  hath  in  some 
mea>nrc  humbled  me  iind  i)roved  me  and  showed  me  what 
was  in  my  heart."  Certainly  self-denial,  resolute  sacrifice, 
a  sense  of  sin.  and  ii  (unstant  hope  for  deliverance  from  sin 
were  in  that  heart,  so  sid  and  weary,  which  turned  back 
fri>m  the  New  World  to  the  Motlurland,  and  was  destined 
there  to  redrew  the  rcliirioiis  balance  of  the  Hritish  people. 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


221 


These  feelings  already  opposed  in  him  tiie  evils  of  formalism 
and  of  a  i)rovincial  orthodoxy,  and,  whatever  e!>e  was  lost 
or  won,  he  hail  jjiianled  his  inte;;rity  a>  a  Christian  pastor, 
even  to  the  erucifyinn  of  his  natural  aflections.     If  a  little 
more    humanness  would    iiave    added    to    tlie   ;,'eniality  of 
Wesley's  disposition,  it  ini;;ht  also  have  detracted  from  the 
eomi)leteness  of  a  consecration,  the  intensity  of  which  has 
seldcmi  been  eciualed.     His  autocratic  temper  was  a   fault 
for  which  he  had  to  make  iiis  own  atonement.     Of  quite 
another  sort  were  the  qualities  which  cnaliled  him  to  handle 
with   unrivaled   stratej;y  and   daring   the  recruits  wiio  en- 
listed in  his  crusade.     These  (piaiitics  made  him  prompt, 
fearless,  decisive,  a  hold  leader  in  extremity,  who  kept  the 
marks  he  followed  well  within  tiie  range  of  liis  vision.     Ilis 
later  innovations,  although  (U-plored  l>y  his  clerical  hrethre  i, 
were  dictated  hy  necessity  and  promi)ted  hy  the  lessons  he 
had   learned  wiien  defeat   iiad   hceii  the  outcome  of  ecclesi- 
astical   regularity.       In    n-ality   he  always  maintained    the 
better  part  of  .Vnglicanism  as  he  coiurivcd  it.     .'>wayed   by 
its  .spirit  he  expatriate<l    himself   for  a  life  of  devotion  and 
service.     It  sustained  him  during  his  absence  from  congenial 
society,  while  as  a  missionary  wearing  coarse  clothes  and 
eating  coarse  food  he  wandered  throngli  a  virgin  territor-    in 
blistering  heat  or  biting  cold.     His  endurance  of  these  hard- 
.ships  is  proof  that  the  things  in  him  which  could  be  shaken 
were  being  removed  in  order  that  t|io>e  which  were  funda- 
mental  might   remain.     Oxford    Methodism   began   to   lan- 
guish i      >ng  the  chaotic  morals  of  a  turbulent  coinnuinity, 
but  the  world's  Methodism  was  already  in  process  of  gesta- 
tion;   and  the  pains  Wesley  endured  wvrv  the  birth  pangs 
of  its  deliverance.     In  (leorgia   he  did   nothing  more  than 
experiment  with  a  |)ietistic  individualism  routed   in  ritual- 
istic Anglicanism,  which  showed  small  understamling  of  the 
central   truth   of  the  .\ew  TeManient.     The  outcome  was 
disastrous,  but  would  his  determined    soul  have  submitted 
to   anything   less   disastrous:'     For   while   these   traditions 


I 


Ml 


I 


I- 


n 


yai 


222     THREE   RELIGIOUS  LEADERS  OF  OXFORU 

of  his  earlier  religious  life,  as  permanent  elements  in  his 
nature,  were  hlendecl  with  the  more  complete  experience  of 
his  conversion  and  his  subsequent  growth  in  divine  grace, 
they  never  again  controlled  his  energies  or  invalidated  his 
action.     Ilis   narrowness  and   iiidiirerence  to  the  interests 
of  the  Church  universal,  and  his  trust  in  the  merit  of  good 
works,  had  received  a  definite  challenge.     Extreme  notions 
regarding  ecclesiastical  prerogatives  and  sacramental  grace 
were  no  longer  so  acceptable  as  they  once  had  been.     The 
quietism   of   the   Moravians   and   the   ignorant   apathy   of 
the  colonists,  although   nothing    akin,   had  shown  Wesley 
that  his  exclusive  ideas  of  the  Gospel  were  not  its  most 
efficient  interi)retation,  a  discovery  which  gave  rise  in  him 
to   chastening   refli'ctions.     Yet    those   who   cannot    recall 
his  career  without  a  sense  of  gratitude  will  not  too  hastily 
judge  his  stay  in  (icorgia   a   fruitless  period.      It   was  a 
necessary  stage  in  his  evolution,  and  Whitefield,  who   fol- 
lowed  him   there,   wrote   enthusiastically   that   "tl.„   good 
Mr.  Wesley  has  <lone  in  America  is  inexpressible."    This 
was  i)erhaps  the  exaggerated  tribute  of  one  who  seldom  had 
difficulty  in  believing  what  he  wished  to  believe.     Xcverthe- 
Icss  good  had  been  done,  and  in  no  direction  so  much  as  in 
this,  tiiat  Wesley's  larger  self  emerged    from  uncongenial 
surroundings  which   rebuked   his  fastidiousness  and  pride, 
and  taught  him  the  lessons  of  i)atience  and  wisdom.     The 
illumination  of  his  powers  for  serving  men  to  the  full  was  pre- 
ceded by  the  consciousness  of  a  failure  which  finally  wrought 
in   him  a  more  productive  faith.     His  confessions  during 
the   homeward   voyage   corroborate   these  sentiments.     "I 
went  to  America  to  convert  the   Indians;    but   oh!    who 
shall  convert  me?  ...     I  have  a  fair  summer  religion.     I 
can  talk  well ;    nay,  and   believe  myself,  while  no  danger 
is  near.     But   let  death  look  me  in  tiie  face,  and  my  si)irit 
is  troubled.  .  .  .     Whosoever  sees  me,  sees   I    would   be  a 
Christian.  .  .  .     But  in  a  storm  I  think,  what  if  the  Gospel 
be  not  true?    Then  thou  art  of  all  men  most  foolish,     l-or 


JOHN    VVKSLKV 


223 


what  liast  thou  fjivt-ii  thy  pkmIs,  tliy  i-asi-,  thy  friciuls,  thy 
reputation,  thy  country,  thy  hfe?  For  what  art  thou 
waiuUTinn  ovtT  thf  face  of  the  earth/-  A  dream,  a  eun- 
niiigly  (lovised  fal)le !  Oh !  who  will  deliver  me  from  this 
fear  of  death/  ...  A  wise  man  advised  me  some  time 
since,  'lie  still,  and  ro  on."  IVrliaps  this  is  best,  to  look 
upon  it  as  my  cross."'  Douhtless  these  melancholy  solil- 
oquies were  i)rom|)ted  hy  his  wounded  alVections  as  well 
as  l)y  spiritual  disquietude.  Miss  Ilopkey's  hand  in  mar- 
riage had  been,  to  cpiotc  his  own  words,  "the  desire  of  mv 
eyes  and  tlie  joy  of  my  heart  tlie  one  thiiif,'  upon  earth  I 
longed  for."  Such  a  lo\  e,  unsealing  as  it  does  the  nethermost 
springs  of  life,  creates,  when  thus  repressed,  a  grief  likely 
to  become  permanent.  Hut  notwithstanding  these  grave 
discouragements,  he  accepted  the  wi>e  man's  word,  and  went 
on,  not  knowing  that  his  greater  heritage  was  near. 


II 

Wesley  landed  at  TVal  on  the  first  of  Fel)ruar\.  1737, 
just  a  few  hours  too  lat«'  to  receive  the  greetings  of  his 
friend  Whitefield,  whose  wIiole-M)uled  comimnion>hip  would 
have  been  especially  acccptalile  at  tliis  time.  Hut  after 
a  victorious  experiment  in  field-preaching,  Whitefield  was 
then  sailing  down  the  Channel  on  a  voyage  to  Savannah. 
During  the  first  months  after  his  return,  Wesley  passed 
through  a  period  of  restless  discontent,  not  to  say  vehement 
agitation.  Clerical  complacency  was  a  banislnnl  sentiment; 
conventional  beliefs  had  lost  their  authoritative  note; 
he  chafed  beneath  that  -cnse  of  impotence  so  distressing 
to  men  who  are  intent  upon  noble  ends  and  have  not  yet 
found  the  means  for  their  attainment.  The  account' of 
this  interval  and  of  his  eti'orts  to  meet  its  emergencies, 
as  given  in  the  .Journal,  is  in  all   res|)eets  a  dear,  manly, 

•■The  Journal  of  John  Wosloy":  edited  by  Rev.  .\ehemiuh  Curnock; 
vol.  I,  p.  41S.  ' 


Ji 


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I"  ■ 


11 


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224      TIIHKK    KKLKilOUS    LKADKKS  OK   OXFORD 


i  «: 


)  I 


(  1 


and  cuiKnil  narrative.  Ih'  was  «'iitt'rin>:  upon  an  epoch  where 
exten.siv*'  clian^es  were  to  prevail,  and  he  had  a  tough 
struf,'^'*'  to  break  thmujjh  the  l)arriers  of  prejudice  and 
hahit.  His  emotions  and  aspirations  were  such  as  led  hiui 
to  (h'cfls  of  capital  consejjuence.  Heyond  doubt  he  was  a 
Christian  and  practically  at  one  with  all  Christians  on  the 
fundamental  ((ucstions  of  morality  and  wctrship.  Hut 
hitherto  his  advanced  sacramentarianism  'ind  lepdism  had 
been  the  trusted  vehicles  for  comminiication  of  divine  life, 
and  the  revolution  now  imminent  in  him  was  such  a  com- 
plete displacement  of  those  doctrines,  and  one  so  entirely  due 
to  the  royal  faculty  of  faith,  that  it  became  a  sinnal  event 
in  the  history  of  evangelical  methods.  His  entire  beiuR 
verged  n|)on  a  new  world,  wherein  he  was  to  become  supreme, 
overcoming  by  the  weight  of  his  witness  those  Anglican 
ideas  which  had  previously  governed  him. 

Meanwhile  he  hastened  to  Lon(h)n,  and  reported  to  the 
Trustees  of  the  (leorgia  Settlement.  There  he  founil  his 
brother  Charles,  who  entered  heartily  into  his  projects,  and 
they  began  to  attend  the  gatiierings  of  the  Brethren.  Peter 
Bolder,  a  native  of  Frankfort,  a  graduate  of  Jena  and  a 
convert  to  Moravianism,  had  been  ordained  in  Germany 
and  commissioned  by  Count  Zinzendorf  for  missionary  work 
in  the  Carolinas.  During  his  stay  in  London  he  was  intro- 
duced to  the  Wesleys,  who  were  much  edified  by  his  quiet 
and  persuasive  preaching.  Although  ministering  through 
an  interprettr,  his  words  were  suffused  with  a  mystical  in- 
fluence which  sul>dued  and  elevated  the  secluded  audiences 
he  addressed,  and  his  connection  with  the  Wesleys  has 
since  cast  a  solitary  beam  of  splendor  upon  his  brief  so- 
journ in  England,  (^harles  gave  him  lessons  in  the  lan- 
guage ;  .John  cross-examined  him  on  the  matters  which 
prevented  his  own  peace.  Holder's  answers  consisted,  in 
the  main,  of  quotations  from  Scripture,  sin-cifically  those 
passages  which  deal  with  regeneration.  He  showed  that 
salvation  is  of  God,  through  Christ  Jesus,  and  by  means  of 


JOHN    VVKSLKY 


225 


Ilis  Death  and  Ilt'siirri'ctioii ;  the  sole  cuiulitiuns  of  its  Ih-- 
stowal  Irmiik  re|M'iitaiice  and  faitli  on  the  part  of  tlie  re- 
eipient.  Tliese  ^raees  are  siipphed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  W  ho 
inehnes  hehevin^  hearts  to  respond  to  tlie  overtures  of  mercy, 
and  eonfirnis  in  them  the  assurance  of  tlicir  fihal  rehition 
with  the  Heavenly  Father.  The  content  of  this  creed, 
sanctioned  as  it  is  l)y  Holy  Writ,  is  summari/eil  in  tiie  text, 
"He  that  heheveth  on  the  Son  liath  everlastinj;  hfe."  Tiic 
chaiU'nge  Lntlier  hiirh-d  at  tlie  conscience  of  Christendom 
was  due  to  his  vivid  ajjprehension  of  the  declaration,  "Now 
the  just  shall  live  hy  faith,"  and  his  conversion  furnishes  an 
instructive  parallel  with  that  of  Wesley,  in  hotli  cases  u 
larj?e  space  of  time  is  covered  with  a  series  of  confessions 
which  reveal  important  points  of  chan);e  and  pro>;ress  aj)- 
parently  inconsistent,  ami,  to  those  not  in  s|)iritual  sympathy 
with  the  men,  somewhat  |)eri)lexinn.  Liithcr's  mind  was  emi- 
nently intuitional,  nhiiicinn  with  an  eaj;lc's  eye  at  truth  when- 
ever it  rose  hcfore  him.  Wesh-y's  mind  was  eminently 
logical,  arriving  at  conclusions  hy  ar^'umentative  processes. 
Luther's  theolo;;y  sprang;  directly  from  his  cxpcriciK  c ; 
Wesley's  was  illuminated  and  ai)plied  hy  his  experience. 
He  learned  the  doctrine  of  Justification  liy  faith  hcfore  he 
exercised  the  faith  which  l)rouj;ht  him  consciously  into  a 
justified  condition.  Moth  were  alike  in  that  they  did  not 
at  once  piin  certitude  without  wavering;,  hut  tarried  lor  a 
fuller  revelation  which  seeureil  their  unreserved  consent,  and 
induced  in  them  a  state  of  exaltation  and  of  praise. 

The  jjlacid  hut  ohservant  Bolder  saw  that  the  Wcsleys 
had  come  to  the  i)artin>:  of  the  ways,  and  in  a  letter  to 
Zinzendorf  he  jinvv  his  impressions  of  their  state.  "I 
travelled  with  the  two  hrothcrs  from  London  to  Oxford. 
The  elder,  .John,  is  a  jiood-natured  man  ;  he  knew  he  did 
not  properl\  helievi-  on  tlu"  Sa\iour,  and  was  willint:  to  he 
tau>;ht.  His  lirothcr,  with  whom  \(»u  often  conversed  a 
year  ago,  is  at  present  very  nnich  distresM-d  in  his  mind,  liiit 
does  not  know  how  he  shall  hej^in  to  he  ac(iuaintcd  with  the 


I'M 


,1   I' 

'.    i 

■i. 


h' 


'I 


220      THUKK    KKLKilOlS    LKADKKS  OF   OXFORD 


i4 


Saviour.     Our  iiiiMlf  of  ln-licvinj;  in  tin-  Saviour  is  so  easy 
to  Knulisluui'ii,  that  tlivv  cannot  n-concih"  tlinusflvcs  to  it ; 
if  it  wvTv  a  little  iin.rc  artful,  tlu'.v  would  much  scmhut  find 
their  wav  into  it.     Of  faith  in  .Icsun  they  have  no  other  idt'ii 
than  the  generality  of  peojjle  have.     They  justify  themselves  ; 
and  therefort',  tlie.\    al\va\s  take  it  for  granted,  that  they 
lielieve  alr<'ad\.  and  tr\  to  prove  their  faith  l>y  their  works, 
and  thus  so  plague  and  torment  themselves  that  they  are 
at  heart  very  iniseralile."  '     On  the  journey,  and  while  at 
Oxford,  Wesley  hepm  dimly  to  apprehend  the  secret  Holder 
strove  to  impart.     Thi>  in  substance  was  the  verification  hy 
actual  exiM-rience  of  the  principal  teaching's  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment.    These  were  also  einhedded  in  the  doctrinal  formula- 
huig  familiar  to  Wesl.-y,   hut    he   had   not   yet   ahaiuh.ned 
himself  to  tln>m  with  that  n-solntion  which  surmounts  every 
obstacle,  or   in    that    faith    which    is   disenj;aj;ed    from    all 
supplementary   considerations   and    fixed    on    Christ    alone. 
Dependence  on  the  outward  form  instead  of  the  inward  vital- 
ity of  file  (Io>pe|  was  seldom  more  palpably  shown,  yet  it 
is  only  too  frc(iuciit  in  professcil  Christians,  and  ojHTates 
so  subtly  that  they  thiidv  of  it  as  little  as  of  the  air  they 
breathe.     .\   Laodicean   contentment  arising;  out   of  suj)er- 
ficial   assent    to    mere   <lo;;ma    dejjrives    many   believers  of 
real  fellowshii)  with  their   l{i-,en    Hcdeemer.     Here,  as  else- 
where, the  witness  of  Chri>tian  consciou>ness,  which  extends 
not  merely  to  abstract  or  speculative  opinions,  but  to  the 
whole  current  of  fccliri);  and  of  action   in  the  rcp'nerated 
soul,  is  left   stranded  on  the  shore  of  oblivious  years,  while 
men  for>;et  the  solemn  warning  that  "the  letter  killeth  but 
the  spirit  fiivcth  lif.'."     Justification  by  faith  is  an  historic 
phrase  co\-erinK  the  profound  ilcpths  of  relijjious  ♦■xperience, 
of  which  the  content  cannot  be  expressed  in  any  statement, 
however  full  or  ap|)osite.     The  tides  of  that  experience  be- 
gan to  stir  in  Wesley,  and  though  they  ebbed,  they  ebbed 
to  flow  afiain,  brinfring  on  their  retuniinf;  crest  a  strength 

'L.  Tyermau:    " '.ifi- ami  liiin'- (,f  .l,,hii  \V,-liy  ' ;    V,,l.  I.  |,|,    isl    is.'. 


JOHN    WKSI.KV 


227 


of  will,  a  coiirnni',  juid  nii  asMiraiur  whicli   made  him  n 
wntuItT  to  hiinscif  ami  to  i>tlnTs. 

iVcisivf  iiii)int'Mt>  whicli  iil^ct  tin-  wiiU-r  circK-s  of  Ini- 
iiiaii  f.\i>tt'iicc  nrv  ran-  iiMlcfd.  and  Wesley  now  approached 
one  that  has  x-Mom  U-en  Mirpa^sed  in  interest  or  inipor- 
tanee.  (mmI's  intervention  drew  near,  when  the  manifesta- 
tion of  love  divine  ended  the  travail  of  this  seeker  after 
the  hijjhest  life  and  trnth,  and  endowed  hitn  with  pfts  for 
the  strenj^rtheninK  of  his  hrethren.  The  crisis  showed  tha 
even  the  best  and  nio>t  sincere  men  are  never  tlie  masters 
of  their  hijjhcst  destin\  :  that  heaven  in  recognition  of 
their  siiiKle-niindedncss  tak«s  their  wood  and  Rives  them 
iron;   their  iron,  and  ^'ives  tliem  pild. 

Hetween  Feliniary  the  Hr>t  and  the  dafe  of  Iii>  conversion 
he  preached  at  lea-t  eighty  MTiiions  in  London,  Oxford, 
Manchester,  and  other  centers,  to  conj;rc^Mti(>ns  so  widelv 
separated  as  the  prisoners  of  the  common  jails  and  the 
students  and  prof»'ssors  of  the  Iniversity.  Althon>;h  not 
averse  to  this  duty,  he  was  still  in  l.onda.tc;  and  he  tells  i.s 
that  he  spent  March  the  fourth  with  iJohler,  "  hy  whom,  iji  the 
hands  of  the  «reat  Cod,  I  was  on  Sunday,  the  fifth,  clearly 
convinced  of  mil.clicf,  of  the  want  of  that  faith  wherehy  we 
are  saved."  "How  can  I  preach  to  others  who  have  not 
faifh  myself  y"  was  his  pathetic  <|Uery.  In  his  hewilderment 
he  Uirned  ajrain  to  Bolilcr,  who  counseled  hini,  "Preach 
faith  till  you  have  it,  and  then  hccause  you  have  it  you 
will  j>reach  faith."  Implicit  reliance  upon  the  Moravian's 
pretfi)t  was  not  a  sun[)lc  proce»  for  the  IFij;h  Churchman. 
It  involved  the  con>ummation  of  heliefs  he  already  held, 
l)ut  which  did  not  as  yet  hold  him  in  their  resistless  jrpasp ; 
yet.  once  they  were  freed  from  opp-.^inj;  elements,  his  soul 
was  drawp  to  them  as  flame  is  drawn  to  flame,  and  faith  be- 
came the  definite,  preponderant  in^Tcdient  of  his  personal 
relation  with  (Jod  in  Christ  Jesus.  This  cxi)lanation  suf- 
fices to  show  the  impropriety  of  Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge's 
stupid    comu.cnt    on    \Ve>ley's    dilenuna.      The    IIi>;hj,'ate 


i 

I 
ill 

1 


m 


•JJS      TIIUKK    UKI.KIKil  s    l,K.\l)KKS   OK    OXKOUU 


, 


I'I'il I'll' r   iiMiudl    tliiit    MoliliT^    ^iijtp'^tioii    \\u>    tuiita- 

iiioiinl  fi  iviiij;:  "'I'dl  a  lie  ImiK  ciiuiiuli  iiiiil  nftrn  frioiij^h 
iiiiil  ,\<.ii  Will  lie  >iirr  to  niil  liy  Ulicx  iii>;  it,  "  n  ilu-np  atitl 
>lijillo\\  rrificiMM  ijcMiiil  ..('  ii|i|iliivitiiiii  ami  lacking  moral 
iii>i>;lit  aiKJ  >\iii|iatli>   for  a  >itiiiitioii  of  |H'<iiliar  di-ljcacy. 

On  Momla>.  March  the  -ixtii,  Wesley  put  MuIiKt's  <lui- 
triiic  to  tile  text  1).\  pro«  laiiniriK  to  a  felon  awaitinK'  execution 
eternal  life  and  lil<>M(lne>-.  through  xoliintary  aeeeptane*' 
of  the  |»roiniM>  of  the  i,or.|  .le>us  Christ.  The  condeiiineil 
man  at  once  responded.  rel,\  iiij;  with  al>M»hite  eoiiKdenif 
n|Miii  the  (m)>|mI  as  thn^  stated.  an<l  its  consolations  en- 
ahleil  him  to  die  with  a  "com|M>sed  cln-«Tfnlness  and  serene 
IMiiee."  Wesley'-.  <pie>tionin>;s  were  silenced  ;  he  hastened 
from  the  cell  of  the  ontca^t  to  a  renewed  >tud.\  of  the  Holy 
.Sri|itnre>,  where  he  foinid  suflicient  evidence  that  re|H-nt- 
ance  at  thi-  la^t  hour  wiis  a  |)os>iliilit.\  and  conversion  fre- 
<pientl,\  in>tantaneons.  On  bird's  Day.  the  twenty-third  of 
the  following'  month,  he  heard  further  ti'stimoiiy  from  "liv- 
ing witnevso,"  who  de<lared  that  tlu'se  o|MTaiions  of  saving: 
>;race  were  not  coidincd  to  tlie  Apostolic  A>ce.  They  had 
persisted  throii^ihoiit  the  schisms  and  heresies  wrought  li> 
rites  and  ceremonies,  symhols  and  theories,  ecclesiastical 
claims  anil  counter  claims,  and  were  heinj;  re|)eated  in  his 
own  da\.  'i'hus  he  was  slowly  drawn  from  imder  the  cold 
siiadiiws  of  clerical  intolerance  and  misconception  into  the 
sunshine  of  the  all-sulfieient  I.ove  Divine.  '■  Here  ended," 
he  wrote,  "ni,\  disputing;.  1  could  now  only  cry  out,  'Lord, 
ii<  Ip  thou  my  unld-lief.""  '  .Such  were  the  lieraldin>;s  of  the 
dawn  which  alxilished  his  mis),'ivinns,  extending;  and  irra- 
diatiiit;  his  s|)iritual  horizon,  and  fixinj;  his  faith  upon  its 
central  luminary,  tlu'  .Son  of  (lod  Who  loved  him  and  j;ave 
Himself  for  him. 

While  the  actu.il  moment  of  his  daybreak  lingered,  it  was 
anticipated   liy  that  of  his  brother  Charles,  who  lay  sick  in 


'  ■Till'  .loliniMl  nf    .l,,|,„   \Vr>l,.v" 

VmI   I,  ,,,  1.-,.-,. 


litiMl    l,y    Ki'v.  N'l'lu'iuiah   C'urriDck; 


JOHN    VVKSLKV 


229 


rniml  aii<l  Ix  '      t  tlic  lioiiic  in  Little  IJritniii  '   .f  u  tnulcsmaii 
miin«'<|    Uri.  rr   lif   wii^   \isit«i|   l.y    lii>   lirutlitr  Jdliti, 

MoIiUt,  iiriil  otiitr  fritn.!>.  Tiny  licld  fr((|ii»'nt  <(iiivfr- 
siti<iii>  with  him,  ami  (i|lVn-<l  |)raytT>»  for  hi>  rccnvcry. 
Mrs.  Tiirmr,  the  ■^i^t<•^  of  lii>  h<i>t,  wlui  had  ncfiitly  found 
\H'mt'  throii>:h  iMlitviiiK,  coiismtt-*!  to  iH-ar  a  mf->aKf  of 
coiiifort  and  <<»iniiiand  to  tluir  nmst.  AtcordiiiKly.  on  the 
aniiivtTsary  of  the  i\'a>t  of  I'cnti'to>t,  coininf;  to  thi-  dcMir 
of  lu><  room,  >hv  <'alicd  to  him  in  soft,  clear  tones,  "In  the 
name  of  Jesus  of  Na/aretli,  arise  and  helieve  and  thou 
^halt  Ih-  heaU'd  of  thy  infirmities."  ("hurles  at  oiur  oln-yed 
the  irijunetion  and  trusted  the  promise;  at  the  instiKation 
of  Hii  ohseure  a^enl  l.e^an  for  him  his  rejuvenated  iM-iiij;, 
and  for  the  ("hureh  that  enraptured  hurst  of  Christian  sonjf 
which  has  kindled  and  refined  lur  adoration  of  the  iIoli«-st. 
Meanwhile,  John's  resentment  wasantused  a>;ain>t  the  theo- 
logical Kiiides  he  had  read  or  con-nlted,  hecaiiHe  tiny  had  not 
tlirectcd  him  to  the  simplicity  which  is  in  Christ.  Fie  wrote 
a  letter  to  William  1-aw,  arrai>;nin>;  him  in  terms  reminisce  t 
of  his  old  hierarchical  temper,  l)earin>;  down  upon  his  for- 
mer mentor  with  a  strin>;ency  indicative  of  hi>  inward  ili.s- 
turl)Hnc<',  and  an  imino«ieratioii  which  for  the  time  over- 
came his  charity.  "Now,  sir,"  he  demanded,  in  reference 
to  Hcihler's  views,  "suffer  me  to  ask,  how  will  you  answer  it 
to  our  c(»mmon  I^ml,  that  you  never  >;av»-  me  thi-^  advice? 
Did  you  never  read  the  .\cts  of  the  .\po>tles,  or  the  answer 
of  I*aul  to  him  who  said.  "What  nmst  I  do  to  he  saved"? 
Or  are  you  wiser  than  he?     Why  did  I  scarce  ever  hear  you 

name  the  name  of  Cliri>t  'f     .Never  so  as  to  ^r d  anythin<,' 

upon  faith  in  his  hlood?  Who  is  this  who  is  la\  inj;  another 
foundation?  If  you  say  you  a<Iviscd  other  things  ;i>  j)re- 
paratory  to  this,  what  is  this  l.ut  laying'  a  foundation  helow 
the  foundation?  ...  I  he-cech  you,  >ir,  !>>  the  mercies  of 
God,  to  consider  deeply  and  impartially  whether  the  true 
reason  of  your  never  jircssin;;  this  n|)iin  me  wa^  not  this  — 

'  \  Loiidoii  strwt  still  ti)  !«•  fi.iinci  In  ilir  c.,,!,.!!!  mtUuh  i)f  ilie  lity. 


t 


I 

m  i 


230      TilUEK    UKLICIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 


: 


that  you  had  it  not  yourself?"  '     Law  met  tliis  fulmination 
with  the  reply  that  his  iiistruetioii  liad  been  in  substance, 
though  not   in   expression,   identical   with  that  of  Bolder, 
and  concluded  witli  tlie  timely  admonition,  "Ix-t  me  advise 
you  not  to  he  too  iiasty  in  helievinj;  that  because  you  have 
ciianped  your  laiij;uaue  you  have  cliaiificd  your  faith.     The 
head  can  as  easily  amuse  itself  with  a  livinj,'  and  justifying 
faith  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  as  with  any  other  notion,  and  the 
heart  which  you  suppose  to  be  a  i)lace  of  security,  as  being 
the  scat  of  self-love,   is  more  deceitful  than   the  head."  -' 
Law  was  not  ajjprcciated  by  the  deists  of   his  generation, 
nor  could  this  be  expected  ;  for,  as  Sir  Leslie  Stephen  remarks, 
"A   mystic  in   a  common   sense  atmosphere  can   no  more 
flourish  than  ar.  Alpine  jjlant  transplanted  to  the  Lowlands." 
Hut   lie  had   a   claim   to  Wesley's  grateful  respect  on  the 
grounds  both  of  his  personal  charact»T  and   his  teaching. 
Even  (Jibboii,  who  showed  scanty  appreciation  for  Chris- 
tianity, referred  to  Law  in  his  Autobiography  with  a''  ■- 
tionate  esteem.     "In   our  family,"  observed  the  histori  ., 
"he   left  a  reputation  of  a  worthy  and   pious  man  who   bt^ 
lieved   all   he   jmifesscd   and  practised  all  he  enjoined."     In 
later  days  Wesley  himself  acknowledged  that  Law's  writings 
first  sowed  the  seed  of  Methodism,  and  stemmed  the  torrent 
of  infidelity  and  innnorality  which  had  submerged  the  Kng- 
lish  iH>ople  since  the  Restoration.     Certainly  "it  was  Law 
who,  alone  of  living  writers,  materially  influenced  Wesley's 
minil;    and  gave  to  universal  principles  that  s|H'cial  form 
which  rendered  them  suitable  at  the  moment."  ^     His  sub- 
jective treatment  of  Christian  doctrine,  particularly  of  the 
Atonement  and  other  articles  of  which   Wesley  had  com- 
plained, was  characterized    by  remarkable   spiritual   origi- 
nality.    Law's  superiority  to  Wesley  as  a  thinker  was  shown 
in    the   correspondence   that   ensued    between    them.     The 

Lifi"  ntu\  Tiini's  of  .loliii  Woslcy"  ;    Vol.  I,  \).  ISO. 


'  I..  Tyormiiii 
'  Ihi.l  .  p.  ls7 
"  Sir  Lt-slic  .Stophoii : 
Vol.  1,  p.  15s. 


' EiiKli.ih  ThouKlit  in  tin-  Einhteonth    Century' 


1<  'i 


JOHN   WESLEY 


231 


honors  of  the  (hsputc  romainod  with  Law,  the  more  so  be- 
cause his  opjJoiH'iit  injected  into  it  personal  charges  which 
should  not  have  been  made.  The  unfortunate  aspect  of 
the  controversy  was  tiiat  it  estranged  two  sincere  ser\ants 
of  God.  Of  the  few  glaring  indiscretions  of  the  sort  which 
can  he  charged  against  Wesley,  this  [)erhaps  was  the  most 
unnecessary.  lie  turned  from  its  embarrassments  to  con- 
sult with  Bolder  until  the  hitter's  departure  for  the  Caro- 
linas,  and  then  went  forward  to  his  IVniel  ah)ne. 

The  twenty-fourth  of  May,  IT.'iS,  has  always  been  kept  by 
Methodists  as  the  day  whidi  en<led  their  Founder's  night  of 
wrestling.  Wesley  rose  at  five  o'clock  on  that  memorable 
morning,  and,  opening  the  .\ew  Testament,  reail  these  words  : 
"Whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises ;  that  by  these  ye  might  be  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature."  After  a  while  he  again  opened  the  book  and  read 
—  "Thou  art  not  far  from  the  Kingdom  of  (lod."  In  the 
afternoon  he  attended  .St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  where  the  an- 
them was  taken  from  tht-  KiOtli  I'salm  as  found  in  the  Book 
of  Conunon  Prayer:  '  "Out  of  the  deep  I  have  called  unto 
thee,  O  liorrl :  Lord,  hear  my  voice.  O  let  thine  ears  con- 
sider well  the  voice  of  my  com|)laint.  "  As  the  strains  of 
supplication  and  praise  rolleil  in  long  melodious  thunder 
beneath  the  soaring  arches  and  lofty  dome  of  the  sanctu- 
ary, this  humble  worshiper  found  his  refuge  in  the  words, 
"My  soul  fleeth  unto  the  Lord  :  before  the  morning  watch, 
I  say,  before  the  morning  watch."  The  choristers  sang  of 
trust  in  His  changeless  mercy  and  plenteous  redemption: 
outpourings  of  a  faith  wlii<h  had  l)een  the  stay  of  Juda- 
ism, and  was  now  the  comfort  of  one  wlu)  was  to  become  a 
prince  in  (Jod's  spiritual  Israel. 

He  left  the  Catliedral  to  enter  upon  the  exi)erience  which 
he  describes  in  simi)le,  solemn,  convincing  language,  un- 
colored  by  hectic  emotion,  and  stiunped  with  reality.     Ilis 


u 


111. ; 


■  f  1 


In 


'  Tho  iiuisic  for  itiU  aiitln'm  w:it  pruliuMy  written  by  Pureell,  the  greatest 
of  Euglish  ooiiii>o.sors  of  cathoilral  uiiiln'riis. 


lij 


m 


232      TIIKKK    KKLKilOUS   LKADKRS  OF   OXFORD 


words  have  hiinud  in  coiiiitU'ss  lu-arts,  many  of  which  haw 
known  thiir  inmost  moaninjj;.  "  In  the  eveninj;  I  went  very 
unwillingly  to  a  Society  '  in  Aldcrsgate  Street  where  one 
was  readinj;  Luther's  pretiKf  to  the  Kjustle  to  the  Romans. 
About  a  (juarter  i)efore  nine,  while  he  was  descrihiiiK  the 
chanj;e  which  (lod  work-,  in  the  heart  through  faith  in  Christ, 
I  felt  my  heart  stranjiely  warmed.  I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ, 
Christ  alone  for  sahation  ;  and  an  assurance  was  jjiven  me 
that  He  lunl  taken  away  /////  sins,  even  iiiiiir,  and  saved  inr 
from  the  hiw  of  sin  ami  death.  I  hcfjan  to  pray  with  all  my 
mi^ht  for  those  who  had  in  a  more  especial  manner  despite- 
fully  used  me  and  persecuted  me.  1  then  testified  openly 
to  all  there  what  I  now  first  felt  in  my  heart.  But  it  was  not 
long  l)efore  the  enemy  suj;>;ested,  "This  cannot  he  faith; 
for  where  is  thy  joy''  Then  was  I  taught  that  i)eace  and 
victory  over  sin  are  essential  to  faith  in  the  Captain  of  our 
salvation  ;  hut  thai,  as  to  the  transports  of  joy  that  usually 
attend  the  heginninj;  of  it,  esjH'cially  in  those  who  have 
mourned  deeply,  (lod  sometimes  jjiveth,  sometimes  with- 
holdeth  tliem,  according  to  the  counsels  of  His  own  will." 

His  regeneration  should  not  he  confused  with  those  renun- 
ciations of  religious  or  i)hilosophical  opinions  at  the  behest 
of  conviction,  under  the  impulse  of  which  Carlyle  left 
the  Calvinism  of  his  youth;  Martineau  ceased  to  l)e  an 
orthodox  I'nitarian ;  Mill  rejoiced  over  his  social  gospel 
after  reading  Dumont's  interpretation  of  Benthamism  in  the 
"Traite  <le  la  I/'gislation " ;  and  .Newman  passed  into  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  Wesley's  was  preeminently  a  vital 
change,  which,  while  more  or  less  sharing  the  intellectual 
importance  of  the  instances  named,  surpassed  them  in  the 
(pialities  it  evinced  and  the  services  it  rendered.  In  many 
respects  it  closely  resembled  St.  Raul's  conversion,  i;nd  can 
be  more  fittingly  comi)ared  with  that  classic  proof  of  justify- 
ing faith,  or  with  tlu' transformation  wrought  in  Luther,  ihan 

'  Tliir'  was  the  AimliiMri  Sorictv  in  Ncltlctoii  Coiirl.  iDtiiliicti'd  hy  Jiiii:od 
UuttDii,  and  not,  as  many  have  suppost'il,  a  .Mnravian  Kitth  'ring. 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


'2'.V.i 


with  any  other  individual  witnos-  to  tin-  saving  knowlt-dni-  of 
Jesus  Christ.     ( 'ertainly  after  Wesley's  reahxation  of  eternal 
verities  his  former  hniitatioiis  disappeareti :  his  soul  yielded 
to  "the  expulsive  power  of  a  new  atfection,"  and  the  priest 
was  merjitnl  into  the  proi)l)et.     He  was  no  longer  eonipelied 
to  rest  his  case  as  a  (  hristian  upon  human  authority,  however 
saered.     His  belief  in   tlu-   Church    and   in   the   IJihle  had 
enabled   them   to  bear  an   indirect    testimony  sutticient  to 
stimulate  his  dev(nit  and  conscientious  incpiiries.     lUit   he 
hail   discovered   that   any    beliefs    whic'.   hinj;ed   ui)on    the 
word  of  an  earthly  witness  worked   under  defective  condi- 
tions, anti   varied  with   his  estimate  of  that  witness;   that 
faith  so  founded  could  be  weakened,  and  lacked  the  tenacity 
and   the   purity  which  <haracteri/.ed   the   faith    that    came 
throujrh  personal  contact  with  the   Son  of  (Jod.     In  these 
expt>riments  he  at   last  seized  upon  the  very  essence  of  the 
Ciospel  of  his  Lord,  and  occupied  a  position  from  which  he 
eoulii  not  be  dislodfjed.     Based    upon    the  rock  of  an  in- 
disturbal)le  assurance,  his  religion   was    never  again   innii- 
mi/.ed  into  a  mere  scheme   of    probabilities:    he    felt    the 
results  of  a  living  intercourse  with   Christ,  and   he  might 
have  stated  them  in  the  words  of   the  Samaritans  to  their 
country-woman:  "Now  we  beliexe,  not  because  of  thy  say- 
ing, for  we  have  heard  Him  oursehes,  and  know  thai  this 
is  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  ' 

The  chronic  irritation  which  had  given  him  no  rest  was 
banished  ;  he  drew  from  the  springs  of  heavenly  love  a  vital 
energy,  and  with  his  spiritual  faculties  tiuis  (piickened  he 
gained  the  perception  of  trutii ;  not  the  deceptive  half- 
truth  of  nuiterial  science  tiiat  conceals  the  germs  of  agnos- 
ticism, but  the  truth  that  transcends  mere  intellectual 
knowledge,  the  truth  whicli  is  the  objective  of  such  faith  as  his. 
In  the  prime  of  manliootl,  he  passed  at  a  bound  to  a  high 
point  of  being,  and  carried  to  the  gravi'  untarnisiied  and 
unimpaired  the  |)lenitudes  of  restoration  and  of  power  which 
tlien  became  his  own.     Neither  life  nor  death  was  suffered 


%U 


'  ^■ 


M  - 


234      TIIKKK    KKLKilors    LKADKKS  OK   OXFORD 

to  take  one  jot  of  their  meanini;  from  his  heart ;  tlieir  rec- 
naiu y  inereased  with  the  passing  of  his  year>.  His  regen- 
eration, ajjparentiy  spontaneous,  was  really  the  outgrowth 
of  all  he  had  been.  But  he  was  now  enlarged,  enriched, 
illuminated  in  every  province  of  his  nature.  Nor  eould  sub- 
sequent changes  (,f  feeling  or  circumstance  weaken  his  hold 
on  (Jod  or  on  his  fellow-men. 

It  is  no  detraction  from  his  superior  value  as  a  Christian 
to  recognize  in  him  the  egoism  out  of  which  his  growth 
and  ser\  ire  were  shaped  by  higher  impulses.  If  he  some- 
times spoke,  like  St.  Augustine  and  lUmyan,  as  though 
the  Creator  and  himself  were  the  only  valid  ends  for 
which  all  things  else  were  the  means,  this  re-adjustment 
of  his  soul's  fellowship  with  its  Maker  eimoblcfl  every 
other  relation  he  sustained.  Fixed  in  his  conscious  accept- 
ance with  (Jod,  he  was  enabled  to  move  with  freedom  in 
the  entire  region  of  his  reconstructed  existence.  The  grace 
he  had  received  imparted  no  flawless  excellence,  but  it  en- 
dowed him  with  a  vigilance,  a  resolution,  and  a  wi.sdom 
which  were  typical  of  Protestant  Christianity  at  its  l)e.st, 
and  it  rebuked  the  materialized  concei)tions  and  indirect 
methods  of  its  appropriation  which  proceed  from  external 
things. 

Our  reverence  for  Wesley  is  the  greater  because  of  the 
devotion  with  which  he  accepted  and  acted  upon  the  in- 
disputable fact  of  his  new  life  in  Christ  Only  in  the 
light  of  that  clevotion,  and  of  all  it  involved,  can  we 
form  an  adequate  estimate  of  the  warm,  aspiring  saint,  as 
distinguished  from  the  artificial  character,  cold  as  monu- 
mental marble,  which  some  have  ascribed  to  him  in  the 
interests  of  doctrinal  theories.  He  was  deeply  aware  that 
he  had  been  created  again  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  the  knowl- 
inlge  gave  him  rest  'and  gladness.  Yit  he  offered  his  sacri- 
fice in  humility,  as  one  who  was  not  meet,  being  careful 
to  reserve  nothing  from  the  altar  of  consecration.  More- 
over, becau.-^e  the  Gospel  was  a  .sanctifying  iiiergy,  he  re- 


JOHN    WKSl.KY 


235 


scntrd  rvory  efVort  t(i  lulittlc-  or  obscure  it.  Yet  the 
controversialist  and  the  precisionist  were  no  h)nf;rr  welcome 
to  him:  he  rather  laid  emphasis  upon  the  ^race  of  dod 
manifested  in  the  fciri;ivene»  of  his  sin  and  in  his  deliveranee 
from  its  shame  and  ;iuilt.  This  jrrace  solved  the  problems 
which  once  perplexed  him  ;  answereil  the  (piestions  that  liad 
not  spared  his  trancpiillity  ;  imbued  him  with  a  divine  sensi- 
bility and  ecpiipped  him  for  the  mission  which  at  once  be- 
came an  inherent  part  of  his  life.  The  vision  of  Christ  as  the 
!{edecmer  of  mankind  was  the  heart  of  his  mes.sa^e;  the 
only  (Jospel  suiKcient  for  the  saving'  of  his  own  siml  and  of 
them  that  heard  him. 

Such,  then,  was  the  nature  of  Wesley's  faitii,  i)repared  as 
it  was  tu  forsake  derivative  luliefs,  if  by  so  doinj;  it  cimld 
secure  that  irmneiliate  a('ce»  where  the  finite  draws  life 
from  the  infinite.  lie  pnsheil  his  interroKations  to  the  last 
issue,  distiunuishinj;,  a^  he  did  so,  between  opinions  and 
convictions,  and  con^truinj;  truth  in  the  lifrht  of  the  spirit 
and  word  of  the  .\Cw  Testam«nt.  Hef;innin>;  witii  incpiiry, 
he  was  not  content  to  iletc<t  his  inconsistencies,  or  <lwell 
upon  his  needs,  but  went  forward  till  he  foimd  an  all- 
sufhcient  object  in  Christ  .Icsus.  and  fastened  his  trust  and 
obedience  upon  Him.  Cardinal  Newman  remarked  that 
this  was  an  inverted  ])rocess  :  that  the  Uoman  devotee  liegins 
with  belief,  and  reverently  followiufi  the  divine  in.stincts, 
draws  out  their  hidden  oracles  into  the  synunetry  of  a  holy 
philosoi)hy.  The  distinction  i>  wortli  attentiim,  but  the 
fruits  of  Wesley's  faith  are  the  bc-t  answer  to  Newman's 
objection.  That  his  extraonlinary  experience  should  arouse 
criticism,  especially  after  it  became  the  type  and  standard 
of  countless  similar  experiences,  was  to  be  expected.  Skep- 
ticism could  not  >utfcr  so  -^tartlin^'  a  rebuke  to  pass  unno- 
ticed ;  for  men  resent  nothing  so  nmch  as  the  unexpected 
advent  of  a  iruth  that  wrecks  their  assumptions.  Whether 
cultured  or  ijinorant,  imajrinative  or  stupid,  they  agreed  in 
protesting:  a;:ainst  the  claims  made  iiy  Wesley  an<l  hi-  fol- 


H: 


23«)      TIIKKK    UKLKiMUS    LKADKHS   OK   OXKOUI) 


luwiTs.  Tlic  traiist'(irinutitiii-<  ot"  life  and  cliarjicti'r  on  which 
thry  \v«Tt'  hascd  confuted  those  who  were  forced  to  a(hnit 
their  actual  occurrence,  Imt  attached  to  tiu-tn  tlieir  own 
cxphination.  Hence  ('olcritij;c  maintained  tliat  Wesley's 
assurance  of  saKation  was  nothing  nion-  than  "a  strong 
pulse  or  tiirol)  of  seiisihility  acconipanyinf;  the  vehenieiit 
volition  of  ac(|uiescencc :  an  anient  dcsin*  to  find  the  |)osi- 
tion  true  and  a  concurring;  determination  to  receive  it  as 
truth."  This  nujy  l»e  a  correct  psyclioloj;ical  ilefinition  of 
some  conversions,  hut  in  Wesley's  case  its  sonorous  phrase- 
olojiy  is  misleading;.  Colcridue  e\  idently  took  it  for  ;;ranted 
that  the  divine  ch'iuent  dominant  in  the  change  then 
wrought  was  not  worthy  of  his  consideration.  Ih-  had  no 
valid  ground  for  any  such  attitude,  and  the  omission  of  that 
element  so  conijilctely  vitiat»'d  his  analysis  that  it  had  about 
as  uuich  hearing  on  Wolty's  actual  experience,  its  nature, 
intensity,  ami  extent,  as  the  nchulous  vapors  of  the  heavens 
ha\f  upon  tlu'  motions  of  the  planets. 

Further,  notwithstanding  Wesley's  occasional  lapses  into 
sentimcntalism,  it  nuist  not  l)c  forgotti'ii  that  he  was  a  great 
Christian  who  was  also  a  gn-at  Knglishman.  lie  belonged  to 
a  people  whose  pietii's  have  ne\er  been  divorced  eitlier  from 
reason  or  ethics,  who  were  i'ragmatists  before  Pragmatism, 
and  whose  accepted  test  for  i-ntlmsiasm,  vehemence,  or  pro- 
fession, is  practice.  Their  first  (piestion  coni-erning  theories 
or  institutions  is  not,"  What  can  be  saidfor  or  against  them':*" 
but,  "How  do  they  work'::'"  Their  theology  and  religi(m 
have  always  Im-cii  influenced  by  politics  and  morality  ;  hence 
the  j)aradoxical  compromises  of  the  Knglish  Ueformation 
defied  the  consistency  so  dear  to  the  French  mind,  in  order 
that  they  might  include  the  main  <  urrents  of  j)ublic  opinion. 
Innate  conser\ati>ni  is  ap])arent  at  e\('r\  stage  of  the  reli- 
gious devclo|)nient  of  the  nation  in  which  Wesley  became  a 
represcntativf  teacher.  The  mystical  fervors  found  in  the 
Latin  race,  which  ran  to  extremes  e\in  in  tlii'  Moravians, 
were   moderated    i>y    the   utilitarian   tendcn<y   of    .\nglican 


.lOIIX    WKSLKY 


237 


saints.  Tlu'V  u>Hiilly  nlatcd  tlicir  t'cstasics  to  rartlily 
art'airs,  ocoiioiiiiziiij;  tlu'iii  tor  that  i)iiri)os(';  tin-  cxtrava- 
paiUTs  of  St.  I'Vaiuis,  of  St.  .loliii  of  the  Cross,  and  even  of 
Bofhnio  wtTc  fori'ij;n  to  tlit-  niorr  ^ohcr  hut  ('(lually  iiitt-nt 
pit'ty  of  siicli  iiu'ii  as  I,aii<rlot  Aiulnwes,  Hicliard  Hooker, 
and  .IiTfiny  Taylor.  In  a  Ifttcr  written  to  his  lirotluT 
SainiH'l,  (hiti'd  Novt-nilM-r  Jo.  17l>(>,  Wesley  >ays,  "1  think 
th«'  nx-k  on  which  1  had  tin-  ni-arcst  made  .^liipwrock  of  the 
faith  was  the  writings  of  tht-  mystics;  undtT  wliicli  tcrni 
I  conipri-hi-nd  all,  and  only  those,  who  >li;;ht  any  of  the 
means  of  f;raoe.  .  .  .  Men  ntterly  divested  of  free  will, 
of  self-love,  and  self-activity,  art'  enttred  into  the  passive 
state,  and  enjoy  sneh  a  contemplation  as  is  not  only  above 
faith,  hut  above  sijjht.  .  .  .  They  have  absolutely  renounce*! 
tlieir  reason  and  understandinj;;  else  tliey  could  not  l)e 
guided  l>y  a  Divine  I/i^dit.  Tiiey  seek  no  clear  or  particular 
knowledge  of  anything;,  but  only  an  ol)scure.  general  knowl- 
e<if;e.  .  .  .  Sij;ht,  or  something'  more  than  sij^ht,  takes  the 
place  of  faith."  '  TIicm-  avowals  of  the  danj;ers  he  had  so 
barely  escaped  leave  no  doubt  on  the  i)oint  at  issue.  He 
ehui);  to  the  vetierable  guarantees  of  historic  Christianity, 
avoiding  sensational  an<l  gratuitous  changes,  but  adopting 
those  dictated  by  the  expansion  of  his  heart  and  work. 

It  is  one  of  the  triumphs  of  originality  not  to  invent  or 
discover  what  is  prol)ably  alreatly  known.  i)Ut  by  a  vivify- 
ing of  former  things  to  make  their  meaning  new  and  irre- 
sistible. Wesley's  conversion  was  a  good  example  of  this 
process.  His  entire  life  hitherto  had  been  steadily  directed 
toward  the  intlatus  it  then  received  and  the  decision  with 
which  he  received  it.  Kvcn  his  doubts  and  difficulties  had 
eontril)uted  to  his  regeneration.  He  might  have  said  in 
the  language  of  a  later  day, 

"Thouglits  lianlly  to  !«'  packcil 
Into  u  narrow  act, 
Fancii-s  tluU  broke  tliroiiKli  latiKiiaKO  and  oscapeil ; 

'  L.  Tyeriii:iu  :    "Lifi"  ami  Tiiucb  uf  John  Ui-<l<y"  ;    Vol.  I,  pp.  Iui3-134. 


I  ;^i 


it 


!   ! 


r 


238      THUEK    KKLKJIors    LKADKUS  OK   OXKOKD 


All  I  coulii  ncvtT  lie. 

All  incii  iKiiorcii  in  me, 

This  was  I  worth  to  (io<l,  whose  wiiccl  the  pitcluT  slia|MMl." 

He  was  i-arly  set  apart  In  liis  iiiotluT's  diligent  care  for 
liis  soul,  anil  Iut  reminder  that  lie  could  he  saved  only 
hy  keepinj;  all  the  coiiunaiidinents  of  liis  Maker.  This 
excited  his  sense  of  moral  responsiliility,  niakiiig  him  appre- 
hensive of  the  approaches  of  evil  and  painfully  censorious  of 
himself.  It  prevented  him  fnmi  repirdinj;  sin  as  heinj; 
nothing  more  than  a  general  imperfection,  and  his  grief 
over  past  failures  strengthened  in  him  the  |)resuppositions 
of  the  (Jospel  which  delivers  men  from  sin.  In  his  dealings 
with  heaven  he  could  not  hrook  trifling  or  evasion ;  every 
act  of  worship  was  candid  and  aitsorhing.  The  despair 
his  previous  state  had  evoked  was  the  prelude  to  the 
rapture  of  his  deliverance,  and  his  sulisecjueiit  ministry 
was  proportioned  hy  his  experiences  both  of  sorrow  and 
of  joy.  His  ail'ectioii  for  the  heaiity  and  aj)propriateness 
of  the  Anglican  liturgy  remained  unchanged.  He  con- 
tinued to  associate  faith  not  only  with  worship  hut  with 
work,  and  he  had  no  sooner  hegun  to  preach  than  he 
estahlished  an  orphanage  at  Newcastle.  .VIert  to  the 
dangers  of  exuherant  emotionalism,  he  warned  his  con- 
verts that  an  uprush  of  feeling  did  not  necessarily  indicate 
ilixine  sonship.  It  was  to  he  validated  hy  corresponding 
deeds,  since  a  profession  of  religion  without  its  fruits 
was  vanity.  Here  the  young  Oxonian  of  the  Hocardo 
reai)pca."ed,  and  while  he  preached  faith  he  also  main- 
tained that  "he  who  doctli  righteousness  is  righteous." 
The  proumptions  of  those  who  imagined  they  had  exclusive 
rights  to  evangelicalism  were  rehuked  in  the  following  ohser- 
vations:  "  I  find  more  profit  in  mtiiioiis  on  cither  good  tem- 
pers or  good  works,  than  in  what  are  vulgarly  called  (iospel 
serint)ns.  That  word  has  now  l)ecome  a  mere  cant  word ; 
I  wish  none  of  our  Society  would  use  it.  It  has  no  deter- 
minate  meaning.     Let   hut   u   pert,    self-suHicient  animal. 


\n 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


239 


that  lius  lU'itluT  scnx-  nor  Kmcr  l)ji\vl  mit  -idnietliiriR  about 
Christ  or  Flis  iilood  or  justification  l)y  fuitii  aiul  his  hi-arcrs 
cry  out,  'wiiat  a  tiuv  (io^prl  mthioiiI  "  In  latt-r  (hiys  ht- 
wrote  a>;ain,  "Wiicii  fiftv  years  of  a^e,  my  l)rotii«'r  ('harU's 
and  I  in  the  siniphcity  of  onr  hearts  tanj;ht  the  |m'o|)Ic  that 
unU'ss  tiifv  knew  their  sins  for^:iv^•n,  they  were  nnth-r  the 
wrath  and  curse  of  (lod,  I  woniler  tliey  (hd  not  stone  us. 
The  Metiiodists  Iniiow  l)etter  now."  'I'he  spirit  of  the  New- 
Testament  was  nurtured  in  Wesley  l)y  tlie  eomhination  of 
numerous  (hlVi-rin^  piiases  and  ^ifts.  Many  streams  fed 
the  mijility  river  of  >;racious  influence  which  issued  from 
his  jHTsonality,  a  river  still  flowing,  and  l)earin>;  the  life  of 
men  toward  happit-r  havens  heyond. 

Julia  Wedgwood  in  her  al)le  study  of  Wesley  states  that 
hisre^'eneration  transferred  "the  liirtliday  of  a  Christian  from 
his  baptism  to  his  conversion,  ami  in  that  clianp'  the  parti- 
tion line  of  the  two  ^reat  systems  is  crossed."  This  is 
true  so  far  as  characteristic  Wesleyanism  is  eoneerned,  but 
it  does  not  take  sufficient  account  of  the  sii;nificaiice  of 
the  religious  education  of  the  younj;,  or  of  the  Christian  con- 
sciousness of  the  Church  universal.  Later  Methodism  has 
been  compelled  to  acknowledfje  these  factors  as  in  many 
instan<'es  modifying;  the  oldtT  conception  which  limited  con- 
version to  an  inunediate  an<l  pronounccil  experience.  Count- 
less hosts  of  Christians  owe  their  faith  to  early  rclif^ious 
trainiu};,  or  to  the  Sacraments  which  have  undoubtedly 
fostered  it.  These  nujltitudcs  can  neither  be  i^nttrcd  nor 
dismis>ed  by  a  sweeping  irencrali/.ation.  The  oj)crations 
of  the  Divine  Presence  in  human  hearts  do  not  submit  to 
the  roujjh  and  ready  assij^nnicnts  of  man  "The  wind 
bloweth  where  it  listeth  and  thou  liearest  the  sound  thereof, 
but  knowest  not  whence  it  coineth  and  whither  it  goeth : 
so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit." 

Such  then  in  outline  was  the  inw  ardness  of  We.slej  's  change 
as  he  published  it  to  the  world,  to  be  read  by  all  w  ho  desire  to 
form  u  sober  judgment  on  this  supreme  issue.     Anything  more 


v. 


i 

■i 


if' 


il 


i 


if 

I 


It 


•  ) 

t 

1 
I     I 

!  « 

it 


r; 


240      TIIUKK    HKMUIOIIS    LKADKKS   OK   OXIOUD 

ri'straiiHil  in  tcni|MT,  inuri-  coKnif  in  stiiti  incnt,  rniirt-  jht- 
suu.sivi'iriii|>|H-iil,it  \viinl(llH-(litK<'iilt  toNnil.  Inin;iii,\  nsjH'c-ts 
it  is  thf  \vi>»'st  a.  it  is  the  iiion  impartial  inodi  rn  uitrratKr 
that  has  interjm'tfd  Christian  origins  and  Christian  history 
by  Christian  t'.\|)tTi»'nc«'.  And  althoiij{li  sonu-of  itssiiKRi'stidus 
may  \h'  o|M'n  to  minor  criticism,  its  vahic  as  an  apologetic 
and  as  an  fircni<'on  is  U-yond  estimate.  It  recalls  the  Ham. 
from  the  Altar  of  Fternal  I^ive  which  burned  in  the  breast 
of  the  Apostles,  the  Fathers,  and  the  Martyrs,  and  afterwanis 
burst  forth  again  in  St.  Francis  and  the  heriH-s  of  the  iJefor- 
mation.  How  well  it  fulfilled  in  Wesley  the  mort-  |H>rfect 
will  of  G<kI  is  dispassionately  stated  in  a  further  quotation 
from  Mr.  Urky :  "It  is,  however,  scarcely  an  cxa^rgi ration 
to  say  that  the  scene  which  took  place  at  that  humble  meet- 
ing in  Alilergate  Street  forms  an  e|)ooh  in  English  history. 
The  conviction  which  then  flashed  upon  one  of  the  most 
powerful  and  most  active  intellects  in  England  is  the  true 
source  of  English  Methodism"'  -a  judgment  far  too 
modest  in  its  ascription.  That  conviction  set  free  the  reli- 
gious genius  whose  light  flashed  on  England  when  the  moral 
condition  of  her  inhal>itants  was  aptly  summarized  in  the 
.somln-r  phrase  of  the  Ilelirew  prophet:  "They  sat  in  dark- 
ness and  the  shadow  of  death."  Vet  neither  England  nor 
English  Methcxlism  was  the  sole  beneficiary  of  Wesley's 
consecrated  faculties;  his  words  have  gone  out  unto  the 
ends  of  the  earth. 

Ill 

The  vile  ronditions  for  which  the  eighteenth  century  was 
unenviably  notorious  were  at  their  worst  in  its  second 
quarter,  and  continued  evei\  after  the  Evangelical  Revival 
had  succeeded  in  abolishing  s<imc  of  their  most  deplorable 
features.  Mark  I'attison  describes  the  age  as  "one  of  decay 
of  religion,  licentiousness  of  morals,  i)ublic  corruption,  pro- 
fancne.ss  of  language,  —a  day  of  rebuke  and  blasphemy 
'  "  Kugluuu  iu  the  EiKhteeutli  Century  ";  Vol.  Ill,  p.  48. 


JOHN    WKShKY 


241 


.  ail  age  <l«'>titiitf  of  diptli  anil  t-ariM'stness ;  an  ujfr 
whose  [MM'try  was  without  runiaiKi',  \vho>f  philosophy  was 
without  iir-it'lit,  aiitl  wIiom-  |)iililic  nun  wvn-  without 
<haract»T ;  an  a^t-  of  '  li>;lit  without  Ium-,'  wliost'  v»Ty 
nu-rits  wcri'  of  the  «'arth,  earthy.  "  '  Skkt  these  essa.vs 
were  pulili>lieil  in  |.S(1()  we  have  learneil  to  uuilerstanii  the 
ei>,'hteenth  eentnn  In-tter;  to  know  that,  despite  the  sordid- 
ness  and  inaterialism  which  <haraeteri/,eil  if,  the  iKTiixj  was 
not  and  could  not  lia\e  Uen  wholly  corrupt.  .\);i>nts  and 
forces  of  purification  are  always  |)res«iit  in  every  soei«'ty, 
however  del>a>ed  and  degenerate  that  society  may  seem  to 
he,  and  they  ne\cr  cease  to  o|MTat«',  thouj;h  at  fitnes  too 
far  lielow  the  surface  for  their  presence  to  he  detected  by 
the  superficial  oli-ervcr. 

Vet  without  <iuesti(>ii  the  disorder  of  Kngland  during  the 
years  included  in  l'atti>on'>  survey  was  far-reaehing  and 
ohstinate.  I'rofesMir  Henry  Sidpvick  has  remarke<l  that 
the  national  <  haracter  was  such  as  to  make  U-lit-f  in  a  con- 
stitutional j;o\(Tnnient  iinj)ossil)le.  In  the  judgment  of 
wise  and  patriotic  nu-n  ji'i-<oIntisni  was  necessary,  liecause  of 
the  ignorance,  inateriali-m,  and  wa>  wardness  of  the  jM-ople. 
The  morality  of  polite  circles  was  content  to  express  itself 
in  epigram>  and  m:i\ims,  while  their  rampant  vices  .shel- 
t«'red  IkOuikI  these  useless  formuhe.  Hume,  in  an  essay 
puhlishcd  in  1711,  complained  of  the  tyraiuiy  of  political 
factious,  and  concluded  that,  "We  should,  at  last,  after 
many  convul>ions  an<l  civil  wars,  find  reiwise  in  an  al>- 
solute  monarchy,  which  it  would  have  Ih'cu  happier  for  us 
to  have  estal)iishe(l  peaceahly  from  the  hegiiming.  '  If  we 
may  judge  from  these  and  i,  oiy  otiier  authoritative  criti- 
ci^nl-,  social  stability  was  by  no  means  assured.  License 
was  too  frc(|uently  mistaken  for  liln-rty :  the  general  well- 
being  wa^  hindered  by  those  who  Itawled  for  freedom  in 
a  senseless  mood,  and  ^  ere  was  a  justifiable  distrust  of  popu- 
lar sentiment.     The    .\i>c  politicid  instinct   now  attributed 

■  -Kssay.    ,    \..l    II,  p.  4.'. 


242      THKKK    UKI.KIIOIS    I.KADKUS   OK   OXKOHD 


to  the  HriJiNh  |mii|i|c,  ami  the  ;ii  -al  otiihlislinirnt  of  civic 
Milidiiritv  iiiiil  \irtnc,  nrc  liir  iimrc  recent  tliaii  i>  cDiiiiiionly 
Mi|i|M»c(l.  I^'\it\.  .apricc,  sclfi^liiics-.,  and  tiirl»iilciicc  were 
prevalent.  The  ficklcne^>  and  |HrviT>it>  of  the  populace, 
which  Milton  in  lii>  treati>e  on  "  A  I'ree  ( "onnnonwcalth"  n-- 
jiarded  as  danpTon->,  were  due  in  a  measure  to  the  sourest 
and  narrowest  ty|M'  of  rnritanisni.  XotwithstaeidiuK  the 
short  tenure  of  the  Croniwellian  Protectorate,  tlu-  reliirioiis 
euthusiasni  it  ^'cntratcil.  and  the  triumphs  of  jHace  and 
war  it  secured,  the  reaction  apiinst  it  timin  aside  morality 
idtonether.  and  jiad  not  sjHnt  its  force  in  Wcshy's  day. 
IMcii  still  s|»oke  with  detestation  of  the  attemj)ts  to  enforct* 
virtue  and  suppress  vice  hy  penal  statutes,  and  the  orjfies 
of  tlu-  court  of  ("harles  the  Second  were  |H-rpetuatfd  in  the 
dissoluteiuss  of  the  aristocrac\  and  the  dej:radation  of  tho 
masses.  The  rei^:n  of  the  saints  was  succeeded  hy  the  revels 
of  the  sinners:  the  proHi};ates  of  the  Kestoratiou  had 
pnMluced  a  progeny  almost  worse  than  themselves,  whoso 
cynical  brutalities  it  would  l)e  <lifficult  to  exaKK«Tate. 
national  ptodncss  seenied  as  im|M)ssilile  as  art  to  a  nati(»u 
smitten  with  color-Mindiiess.  The  highest  elements  in 
human  existence  were  cast  ;.way ;  conduct  drifted  into 
wnmj;  cliamiels ;    conscience  was  defiled ;    then   indft-d    was 

"'I'iiiif  n  iiiaiiiac  scattering  iliist. 
Ami  life  a  fury  >linKinK  tlariic." 

Yet  (m  the  low  dark  ver>;e  miKlit  l)e  discerned  the  twilight 
of  a  new  day.  For  there  was  a  savinj;  remnant  not  umiiind- 
ful  of  the  honor  of  (lod,  which  wajjed  war  on  the  e\ils  that 
Usurped  Ilisclaims,  however  hopeless  the  inidertakiuK  seemed. 
The  earlier  refornurs  who  >tro\c  to  stem  the  |H'stilential 
flood  of  wickedncs-,  voiced  their  anxiety  in  the  words  of  Dr. 
\V(.o(hvard.  Writing'  in  |(')!)!l,  he  declared,  "Our  ^reat  enjoy- 
ments in  lihcrty,  law,  trade,  etc,  are  in  manifest  danger  of 
l)einjr  lost  hy  those  horrid  enormities  which  have  for  some 
.vears  |)ast  ahouiided  in  tiiis  our  nation  ;   for  indeed  tliev  are 


.rOII\    WKSI.KV 


24;{ 


...  ,.r,> 

1    I 


■•       1. 1 


,11 


Uross,  senrKialoiis,  iiiwl  «Tyiii>;,  cxiii  to  th»'  ri'pnmcli  <if  oiir 
(iovtTiitnt'iit  iiihI  tlir  ^jrriit  fli-lionor  of  mir  rcli^fiiiii."  'i'hc 
"  l'ro|M>siil  for  a  Natimial  litfurinatioii  of  ^'  hts,"  i»ia'<l 
ill  Ki'.M,  aiiticipati'il  WiMMlwanl'^  accii^atioii.  "All  men 
UKPfc,"  states  its  i)|H-iiiiiK  |iaraKra|ili,  "that  atlifism  ami  |»ro- 
faiH'in'>s  iifvcr  pit  siirli  a  lii^li  aMt'iKJaiit  as  at  this  day. 
A  thick  ^Idoiniiit'ss  hath  nvcrsprcaij  <iur  liori/coii  ami  our  li^ht 
looks  iiko  tlir  rvciiiiif;  of  tin-  worjij  .  .  .  \  ici'  and  wicki-diifss 
mid  ill  I'MTv  placf,  rlninkfiiiii'ss  and  Itwdiu'ss  I'scajM' 
i"'_,.iiiislitd ;  our  riirs  in  most  companies  arc  filled  with 
,'..1      '  ,'     Is     ■  daiiiiiatioii ;    and  the  coriuTs  of  our  strtrts 

nr<'  ,    ■    horrihlf  sounds  of  oaths,  cursos,  and  h!as- 

I   V   ( I  i    ons.  "  ' 

■  .  tiar.  if  Kiinlaiid  contrihiitcd  to  the  dt'plorulih' 
.I'r  Thackeray's  lectures,  "The  Four  (ieor^es," 
t'lK  e  priiK'Cs,  witli  the  exception  of  Georp-  III, 
ip<i  y  deprave*!  than  Charles  II,  were  infinitely 
(Lie  rii'.r  The  nostli>t's  masterly  portrait  of  the  iiero 
•  f  •  ;'t;;.i  ;eh  —  tlu' second  (leorp-,  a  struttiii);,  self-impor- 
ini'  i'  le  little  liimr,  who  corrupted  society  liy  his 
example  and  coarsened  it  hy  his  manners,  —  i>  not  a  whit 
overdrawn  in  its  fearless  and  repulsive  delineation.  I  lis 
Queen,  Caroline  of  .Vnspach,  descriU-d  Ity  ."^ir  Walter  .Scott 
in  "The  Heart  of  Mi<ilothian"  as  a  sagacious  and  attractive 
priiKf  ss,  althoujjii  |H'rsoiially  chaste  and  deserving;  of  a  U'tter 
husband  than  the  man  to  whose  puerile  eccentricities  she 
sacrifit-ed  everythinj;,  did  not  hesitate  to  jest  about  his 
paramours  nor  to  indulge  in  obxtne  allusi(in>.  The  life 
and  thouglit  of  the  nation  were  infected  by  this  betrayal  of 
decency  in  high  places:  its  intcllij;ence,  virtue,  and  seemly 
demeanor  were  constantly  diseourapd ;  its  worst  propensi- 
ties found  their  instigators  anionj;  those  who  were  miscalled 
noble.  In  sjiite  of  '  ■  loyalty  to  the  throne,  Wesley  felt  and 
avowed  a   healthy       ntempt   f<ir  tiie  upper   classes.      The 

'Julia  WcdnwoDil  .    ".(uliii  \Vi'-<l<y  :iiiil  tlio  EvaiiKeli<:il  Reaction  of  the 
Eighteeoth  Outury"  ,   pp.  U(>-117. 


I. 


I  f 


I 


■  i  . 


244      THKKK    KKIJ(;|()[S    LKADKKS   OK   OXFOKI) 

burritTs  wliicli  tin-  iidvocatcs  of  an  empirical  pliilusopliy 
of  (-iiltun'd  coniiiioii  sense  strove  to  ojipose  apaiiist  con- 
ta>;ious  vicrs  Te  swept  away  hy  |)assioiis  which  neither 
the  serene  ;xui(laM(v  of  Addison  nor  tlie  sti-rn  protest  of 
Johnson  conid  withstand.  An  increase  of  wealtii  and  trade 
furnished  the  means  for  tasteless  profusion  and  animaHstic 
excrss.  Folly,  filthy  conversation,  lil.crtinism,  and  ^iuttony 
were  the  purs\uts  of  the  majority.  The  landed  |)ropri»'tors 
and  the  sfiuirearcliies  took  pattern  from  ;!ie  reipiinjr  house, 
which  was  sunk  in  dehauchery  until  the  accession  of  (Icorge 
III,  who  allied  his  court  with  domestic  regularity.  What- 
ever may  he  urjjed  against  him  as  an  incapahle  rnlcr 
whose  amhition  for  executive  supremacy  cnditl  in  the  di.-v- 
niemherment  of  the  Kmpire,  in  his  |)rivatc  character  {Ieor>je 
III  was  well  ni>;h  irreproachal)le,  stronj;ly  and  simply  re- 
lifjious,  jfiven  to  prayer  and  to  ohservance  of  the  ordinancrs 
of  the  ("hurch.  Vet  he  and  his  !)i);ote<l  consort,  Charlotte 
of  MecklenhurK-Strelitz,  never  controlled  their  unruly  sons, 
who  mocked  and  defied  the  (piiet  ways  of  Windsor,  anti 
came  near  to  overthrowiuf;  the  Hanoverian  dynasty  in 
Britain. 

The  mania  for  fjamhlinj;  reached  its  heifjiit  during:  this 
epoch,  wicldiiif;  an  absolute  sway  over  rich  and  poor  alike, 
who  turned  to  its  lure  as  naturally  as  to  food  or  sleep,  and 
viewed  the  ha/ardinjr  of  fabulous  sums  as  nothing.'  worse 
than  an  indiscretion.  Any  vi(r  which  receives  >;eneral 
approval  ceases  to  be  looked  upon  as  such,  and  there  were 
few  who  escajH'd  the  ruinous  fascinations  of  the  race  track 
and  the  casino.  All  ranks  and  conditions  gambled  pro- 
digiously and  systematically.  •Whist,"  wrote  Walpole  to 
.*^ir  Horace  Maiui,  "has  spread  a  universal  opium  over  the 
whole  nation.  On  whatever  pretext,  and  ■nder  whatever 
circumstances,  half  a  dozen  peo|)Ie  of  fashion  found  them- 
selves together,  wlu-ther  for  music,  or  dan<in>;,  or  politics, 
or  for  drinking  the  waters  or  each  other's  wine,  tlie  box  wa> 
sure  to  \h-  rattling  and  the  cards  were  being  cut  and  shuf- 


JOfIN    VVKSLKY 


245 


fled."  '  Tilt'  lial)itiies  of  St.  James's  I'alace  staked  nothing 
less  than  two  hundred  pounds  apiece  at  their  nijjhtly  play, 
and  when  Lady  Cowjier  dec  lined  to  enter  the  game  U-cause 
she  could  not  afVord  to  risk  the  wager,  she  was  chided  for 
her  lack  of  courage.  Lord  Ilchester  lost  thirteen  thousand 
pounds  at  one  sitting,  a  deht  of  lionor  he  never  paid.  Top- 
ham  Heauclerk,  the  i)atron  and  friend  of  the  literati  who  met 
in  the  taverns  of  Fleet  .Street  and  the  Strand,  declared  that 
the  ixtreniitics  t()  whicii  Charles  .lames  Fox  was  reducetl 
after  he  had  parted  with  his  last  guinea  were  pitiable  In-vond 
wonls.  Before  this  orator  and  statesman  was  twenty-four, 
he  had  inciuTed  ganihlitig  dehts  to  the  amount  of  five 
hundred  thousand  |)ounds,  more  than  a  fifth  of  which 
sum  represented  the  liases  of  one  evening;  and  during 
his  lifetime  he  s(iuan<lcre(l  a  million  pounds  in  the  same 
pursuit.  Instead  of  l)eing  solnTcd  hy  such  wild  exploits. 
Fox  jested  ahout  them  and  referred  to  tiie  anteroom  where 
his  Ilehrew  creditors  waited  to  negotiate  his  paper  as  the 
.lerusalem  ("hamlici.  White's  ("oU'ee  House  was  one  of 
the  favorite  resorts  of  tlio>e  who  courted  tlie  smile  of  the 
goddess  of  chance.  Mr.  Thynne  won  twelve  thousand 
pounds  there  in  one  night.  Hcaii  Hrunimel  is  saiil  to  have 
won  twenty  thousand,  a  >d  (Jeiicral  .Suit  one  hundred  thou- 
sand pounds  in  the  same  place  at  a  single  sitting.  Xor  were 
these  instances  extraordinary  ;  in  |)rnportion  to  their  means 
the  majority  ()f  gamhiers  were  nuially  profuse. 

The  .State  |)atronized  iotterio  until  near  the  close  of  the 
century;  the  mischief  which  ensued  passes  description, 
(treat  nunilMT>  of  jwuple  wht  l)eggarcd  in  mind  and  hody  ; 
the  havoc  among  the  tradesfolk,  farmers,  and  artisans  was 
greater  than  can  now  he  iinaginecj :  they  were  in  every 
sense  demoralized.  Tlic  racing  towns  of  Fpsom  and  New- 
market swarni'il  with  >li:ir[)crs.  Macklegs,  and  tluir  dupes. 
Load.  '     lice,   fullams,    jiiid    utlier    ajip.iratus    for    trickery 


'  Sir  (li'iirKf  U.    I'riv.lv^iii 
|..  V.». 


I.:irl\    Hi-lory   of    (   harli'.''   .laiiu'H   Vox" 


■   Hf 


i. 


24()      TMKKK    HKLICKK  s    l.KADKKS   OF    (iXK()|{l> 

were    r;irri.-.l    in    the    pi.ckct-.    rup^,   :uu{    slrtvcs   of    these 
kiii),'lits  of  the  (Tiift,  who  viewed  their  eiilliii^  jis  the  iii(lii>try 
of  the  ii^'e.     Tlie  firiiiiieiiil   ^|)e(iilatioiis  of  I'lxcIiaiiKe  Allev 
victimized  tlioiisinds  rendered  ;:iillihle  In   the  nuti(»iial  pur- 
suit.    No  project  was  too  ridiculous  to  win  >up|)ort.     The 
[)hice  was  filled,  aceordiui;  to  Smollett,  "with  a  stranjre  eoii- 
course   of   statesmen    and    cler^'vuien,    cliurchmeii    and    dis- 
senters, Whij;>.  and  Tories,  physicians,  lawyers,  tradesmen, 
and  c\(n   females;    ail  other  profc»ion>  and  emi)loymcnts 
were  utterly  iieirK'cted."     ('..inpariies  were  formed   for  dis- 
eouutih-;    pt'iision-,    itisurim;    horse.,    pn.v  idinjr    periK'tiial 
motion,  discoverin;:  the  land  of  Ophir,  and  for  the  manifestly 
siii)erfluouseiiterpriM>   if  imjjrovin-;  the  hreed  of  as>e>.     Km-'m 
when   that    l)lo;!ttu    \,   itiire,    tli<'   South   .Sea    Muhhh",   hurst 
and  reduced  th-   ,  ;,n.l    m.  |»o\(Tt,\   and  des|)air,  the  madness 
received    no   percept ilile   rhecU.      |-'re,|i    devotees   con>i};ned 
their  fortimi's  to  i.'reedy  M-Jiemers ;    estates,  heir-hips,  trust 
fmiiK.  even  eliastit.\   i.nd  life,  were  film;,'  into  the  insatiable 
maw  of  this  initpiiiy.     The  player-  plunged  without  stint, 
layinj:  all  they  had  or  could  obtain  upon  the  board,  while 
the\   watched    the    turn-  of   the  uame    with  oaths  and    im- 
precations.    l''i,,\vn    with    wine    .nid    rendered    desperate  i)y 
their  In-ses  or   their    liist  for  train,  men   without    conscience 
or  honor  (luarreled   and   foutjlit,   and    satisfaction    was    de- 
manded and  <:i\cn  in  numerous  duels  uhich  became  infamous 
for  that  vulturous  ferocity  peculiar  to  the  confirmed  framl)ler. 
I'ntil    (larrick    rexived    the   Shakesperian   traditions,  the 
sta^e  was  monoiiulized    iiy  firccs  ;ind    -pcctade-  of  which 
ConKreve,  Wycherlcv  ,   ,ind    Nanbruirh    were    tiie   chief   j)ur- 
ve,\-ors.     Their    ribald    (otnedics    -uite<l    ( urnnt    taste    bv 
exaltiuK  pruriency  an.l   lanirliinir  the  marriage   \..w  out   i^f 
fashion.     The  -cenes  recked  of  the  -tew-,    rake-    ind  deb- 
auchees   were    heroes;    -ki-ptici-m    of    any   i)os-ible   virtue, 
especially   between   the     exes,   wa-   parade.)    with   sickening: 
reiteration.     The  dialo^'ue-  took   it   for  granted  that  there 
was  an  essential  antapMiisUi   bctuccti  what   ua-  moral  and 


T 


,1^!^ 


JOHN     WKSl.KY 


247 


wiiat  WHS  witty  and  iKhiiiraMc.  Fielding,  vlio  wn^  hy  no 
nn'iins  fa-*idi(ni.-  ulxuit  -^iicli  nidttcr^,  rmikc-  I'arsim  Adams 
^a>  in  ".IdM'Dh  Andrew >"  lie  had  ne\er  lizard  of  any  plays 
that  were  fit  to  read  except  AddisonV  "Caio"  and  Dicky 
Steeled  xinicwhat  pro>y  "Conscions  l,o\cr>"  The  nhser- 
\atii>n  is  ((irnilinrateii  l)y  tiie  fart  that  ladic-  wore  nia>ks 
at  the  theatcr>.  a  cu-~tnni  which  lasted  imtil  Intii:  nftcr  ilie 
acce-->ioit  of  (ieorp'  ill.  'l'ra),'cdie^  \wre  tilled  with  tcdinns 
dccjatnation-  upon  the  tiaurant  crimes  ol  the  cla--ic  monsters 
of  (irecce  and  liniue,  whiili  maile  littli'  apptal  to  the  mind 
and  Ic^^  t'l  the  heart.  Tin-  re])res>i(pn  of  tin-  'Icepcr  emolinns 
was  inimii  ;d  to  tht-  higher  drama  ;  in-tead  nf  in\i>a!.;mg 
tlu'  >acre(hie^-  "I'  human  fat>-,  ronliition,  and  cndnr.iP'e,  it 
langnished  in  the  nnrealitie>  of  fiiwl\  I'oli  lied  couplet-  and 
rhetorical  hi-axado.  \fX  the-c  di>ad\antaue-  co\ild  not 
prevent  the  triumph  of  Da  id  (iarrick"s  inimital)le  genius 
as  an  actor,  nor  were  tiu-y  inconipatihU-  with  the  devclnp- 
ment  of  a  delightful  and  iiiasterlv  -eric-  of  comedies  from 
those  two  genial  Iri-hnien,  Sheridan  ami  (iold-mitli,  w  iio>e 
treatnu'iit  of  the  lighter  a-pects  of  life  did  Hiuicihing  to 
redeem  wantonness  and  iMcllectual  >terilit\  The  fourth 
Earl    of    (hestertield,    a    pattern    of    eti<|Uette 


ill!  iiieatcd 


l4tlll       111        ^IIIMIIIKIM.       (I       I'tllllill       <ri         llH|llitM,        U|iilli<ll<>l 

an  ex(iui>ite  hearing  and  addri -s  which  was  the  cloak 
for  a  refined  imjairity  nuich  more  detrim<ntal  to  morals 
than  the  >alaeiou^  frankness  of  I'ieliiing  or  the  gros>ne--  nf 
Smollett.  Historians  may  willingly  ai  .(ird  him  ])osthumous 
justice  a>  an  able,  careful.  <  nn^rientiou^  >tate-'m.iii  who  ile- 
~cr\<'d  well  of  his  countr\  and  dc>pi>ed  hrihery  hy  nioiuv  r 
preferment  in  an  un>crupnlcin-  era  when  .'^ir  Koliert  Wal- 
pole  surveyed  the  lienche^  of  the  IIoum'  of  (dmmoii-  and 
declared  "All  these  men  h:r  c  their  priit."  <  hestertield 
was  not  only  the  representatr  e  of  his  ( iass  .  he  wa^  al-o 
a  patron  of  literature,  anil  in  i  lc>>cr  degree  an  author  of 
■-ome  merit.  In  the  former  cai<acity  liis  l;n  k  of  generosity 
|)ro\(>ked  .Iolin>on  ii\to  writii'i,'  one  of  the  l>o>t  letter^  of  the 
langnas:'  .    in  the  latter,   hi--  lack  of  \irtU(    induced  him  to 


w 


H 


248 


THHKK    UKLKilors   LKADKKS   OF   OXKOltD 


'.'.I 


instruct    liis   soii    in    the  arts    uf    intrinur,    seduction,   nnd 
adultery  as  ik  ( umphMinu'iits  hj^rlilv  licconiinj;  a  gentleman. 
Women  of  rank  ai)peared  at  private  functions  and  in  public 
places  of  entertainment  clad  in  the  scantiest  pirl),  and  far 
from  incurring  disapproval,  their  inunixlesty  was  applauded. 
Drunkeiuiess  was  an  estahlished  custom,  w  ith  a  code  of  re^'u- 
lati(.ns  which  decreed  the  order  of  merit  for  the  hihulous.  and 
arraufied  tlie  incessant  nnmds  of  wine  and  wit.  punch  howl 
and  SOUK.     The    I'rince   l{ej;ent.   hailed   hy   his  l>oon   ( ,,rn- 
panions  and   flatterers  as   the   first   >;entlcman    in    Kurojx'. 
caroused   nij;htly   «ith   Sheridan.  Crattan,  and  other  celcl)- 
rities  of    tile  Carlton    House    coterie.     Fie    conspired   with 
his  l.rothers-    tho,-.e  stout,  well-fed  jirinces   whoM-   farmer- 
like  facj's  look  down  upon  the  visiter  from  the  walls  of  Knj;- 
laiid'>    Portrait   (iaMcries-    t(.   make  her  premier  noMe.  the 
Duke  of  Norfolk,  drink  a  toast  with  ever\  -easoncd  toper  at 
the  royal  hoard.     Norfolk  wouhl  not  refuse  the  challenge, 
and  the  dehauch  went  on  till  the  ajjcd  Duke'-frray  head  lay 
stupefied  anionj;  the  decanters  while  the  wine  ran  like  hlood 
on  the  taltle.     Lord  Kldon  was  a  six  hottle  man.  as  were 
other  lepd  and  jx.litical  luminaries;    William  Titt  emptie<l 
a  hottle  of  port  wine  jit  home  before  jroinj:  to  the  House  <.f 
Commons.  .hhI  after  the  ilehates  betook  himself  to  Hellamy's 
with  Dundas  and  lie||H'd  to  finish  a  couple  more.     Addison. 
Steele,   i'oulten.y.  (ioldsmith.  Fox,  and  i,ord  Ilollaixl  were 
all  addi(  ted  to  the  ( up.     .Sir  Cilbert  Klliot,  writinjr  to  his 
wife  n,  I7N7,  sai.l,  ".Men  „(  all  ap's  <lrink  abominably  .  .  . 
Hid  (;ray  more  than  any  of  them."     The  beaux  <if  the  town. 
k'lnxMi  as  "frolics. ••■•l,|uo<|,, ■•••m..hocks"  and  "macaronies." 
<  I  iisunied    l.iru'c   (|iiaMtitics    ,,f   fermented    li(|uor.     Hyron's 
letter    ...ntairi  refereturs  to  the  s|)rees  of  Cambridge  profes- 
sors and  stndcMt^.  and  he  informed  his  friend  .lackson,  the 
pu^cilist.    ->r    th,     m,is(|ii.ra.lcs    ;,t    Newst,.a<l    .Vbbey,    where 
>;oblets  fashion..!  out  ot  liuman  skiilN  were  <|n,ttVed  i)y  younj: 
scape>;race-  attired    m   iii(.iiasii<    robes.      Ministers  "of" State 
reeled  to  their  place:  in  Parliament  <  r  at  the  opera,  and.soine- 


mi 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


241) 


times  even  elerpymon.  witli  tlitir  \vi>;s  awry,  went  to  the 
sacred  desk  to  liiccini);!)  in  tlie  panses  of  their  discourse. 

Hoiits,  assenihH<'s,  halls  and  ridottos  were  thronf;ed  with 
fashional)Ie  patrons;  Vaiixhall  and  l{aneia>;ii  jiariiens  were 
frequented  hy  the  up|MT  and  middle  classes.  Tlw  SprrtnUir 
describes  Sir  l{oj;er  de  Coverley's  visit  to  the  former  resort, 
then  one  of  the  si^dits  of  tlie  metropolis,  which  the  p»od  knight 
enjoyt'd  wiien  he  came  up  from  Worcestershire.  Between 
the  .social  extremes  w»Te  the  territorial  proprietors  who 
shared  in  the  common  ilecadence.  The  local  maJ:nate^, 
parsons,  and  magistrates  of  the  shires,  with  their  i:  olation, 
ignorance,  pride,  .■^tatic  politics,  uncouth  speech,  and  rustic 
^Carl),  furnished  material  for  the  satire  of  the  novelists  and 
the  moralizing'  of  the  essayists.  It  was  an  epoch  of  liilarioiis 
fea>tiiijr,  fiddling:,  dancin;;,  and  huffoonery  :  in  many  aspects 
unmanly,  imhecile,  and  jtitiahle.  The  wreck  of  talent, 
the  untimely  ending'  of  individuals  who  mi>;ht  have  been 
shininj;  lif;hts  in  a  perverse  >;eiieration,  hut  who  left  noth- 
ing' except  painful  memories  of  needle>s  error  and  sutVerinj:, 
fill  the  nhscrvcr  with  a  sense  of  irrci)aral)Ie  K)ss.  The  hopt> 
of  tile  nation's  redemption  lay  in  tlie  he^t  of  the  clerf;y, 
tin-  nicrchaiit>,  and  the  yeomanry,  and  from  their  ranks  came 
tlie  leader-  of  Methodism,  who  siipporte<l  Wesley  in  his 
efforts  to  rei  hiiiii  the  ddiased  multituilcs. 

These  iiej;lerted  liordes  were  exactly  what  the  rulinjj  j)owers 
had  made  them.  I  lad  those  who  exercised  ei\  il  and  relijjious 
authority  hecii  wi-e  and  just,  [Hire  in  life,  sincere  in  motive, 
and  hnnoralije  in  their  dealinj;>,  the  jiroK'tariat  would 
undouhtedly  liavc  felt  the  restraint  of  their  example.  Hut 
such  virtuo  were  far  to  M'ck,  while  the  vices  we  have  noted 
spread  in  \  iriiieiit  form  aiiioiif;  the  workmen  and  peasants.' 


'  Tin-  rilili.r  III  llic  1,1.  :., 
KanililiiiK  will!  Il  \i:i'  Ik'i'ii  m 
est  iiii'ii  .■ilioiiM  inuv  i.,..iiri 
wlvr<'.'"  I'irt\  .ii'il  L'l  litlr 
fliiiirishi-il  in  ilic  'l:i\  Iil-Iii 


ilay    Hpfi  lacU- 


./.  r  li,i.;ih  uTciic-    "N  it  nut  invstcriDUS  tli;it 
lun  III  hriiit:  '■■il.iiiiii'.  mi  llu'  iiriMli-st  :iiiJ  ric-li- 

iiiioM   :iiiiiiiii.'    till-  riiiMiiiiiii    |n'ii|ili'   tliriii- 

ii'--  liinst   liMM'  livi'il  in  tlir  -li:iiliv      Hrutality 
I'lililii-  cxc'iuiiim-  iiiiil   wlii|>|>iiii!s  won-  i-vcrv- 


l.iill-l.  tiiiiii:.   ilmi-liKlitini.'.    .Hill   (liiik-liiinliim   -  llic   hwt 


!l 


,  !ii 


'I       1 


w 


H,i: 


f 'I 


'  fil 


.pit 


li 


h' 


I 
lil 

It 

V 
v' 

11  'i 


LMO      TIITJKK    KKLKJIOl'S    LKADKHS   OK   OXFORD 

(iin  was  tlir  cliosi'ii  1h'\ tTajCf  of  the  j;""it  uiiwiisluMl.  ont- 
l)i<l(lin>;  jilc.  portir,  niiii.  and  hraiidy  in  ciimiH'tition  for 
|)(>|)iilar  la\nr.  Hopirth's  pictiirrs  of  Hfcr  Stmt  and  din 
l,anr  were  delineations  of  tlu-  neinlihorluxMls  of  St.  Martin's 
and  St.  (Jilcs.  'ri,,-  first  rf|)rescntcd  -lohn  liiill  t-npi^ed 
in  lii>  national  |)a>tinu'.  w  lii-n  tlir  hntclier,  the  drayman,  and 
the  hlacksniith  drained  their  foaming:  tankards,  flourished 
a  prime  Iv^  of  nnitton,  and  san^r  in  praise  of  Ihht: 

"I.iilior  ami  art,  iiplirld  liy  tlire, 
Sii(cf>.>fii||y  aiKaiii'c, 
We  ijuair  the  lialiiiy  jiiiiT  with  kIw, 
.\liil  water  leave  tii  France." 

In  eontrast  to  tlii^  scene  of  counterfeit  nierrimoiit  was  the 
naiiseatinj;  Mpialor  of  Ciin  Lane,  where  limnan  nature,  naked 
and  unashamed,  wallowed  in  the  depths  of  hestiality.  The 
artist  vented  his  wrath  on  tin-  cursed  hend,  with  nuirder 
franjiht,  which  preyed  on  the  vitals  of  his  countrymen. 
Nothin;;  in  his  terrihc  arrai>:nment  of  contemporary  immo- 
rality was  more  awful  in  its  fidelity  than  thi  portrayal  of 
that  scene  where  old  and  yoim^',  and  even  mothers  with 
infants  in  arms,  ^Teedily  drank  the  potations  doled  out  in 
return  for  their  coppers.  During'  a  debate  on  the  question 
of  <lrunkcinie^s  in  IToC,  it  was  reported  to  I'arliatueiit  that 
within  the  j)reciiicts  of  Westminster.  Holhorn,  the  Tower, 
and  lMn>l)ury  there  were  over  seven  thousand  houses  and 
shops  which  retailed  spirituiuis  heverajres,  and  tliis  in  a 
city  whidi  then  coiitaini-d  only  (KMI.IMKI  inhaltitants,  of 
whom  over  one  fifth  were  directly  interested   in   the  traffic. 

two  .liirii.i!  s,rvi.-,.-ti,i„ Siiii.l.iyH     -were  usual.      l{e|.ut:il,l,.  I,(.ii(li>ncM 

Miaile  It  their  Sini.|.,.\  ;,fi,rihMiii  aii,ii^<'iiM'iil  I.,  rep.iir  v\itli  their  riniilies 
lo  llie  <l|.|  H..thl.h,.r„  l|..,|.iiMl.  I,,  waleh  the  in.iiii.e  s  who  were  ,l,ai.,e,l 
ii;ik.-.l    to   the   pillji-,.      Al    thi-   lliii,'   ,.,iiie   two   hiiii,lre,|    ihousaii.l    imt-oih 

iiMially  LMthen-d  i„  lea-u'.ir.leii^  aUnit   l.iuiih.ii  ever\   Suii.l.iv  afteti n.  and 

at  the  eriil  .,f  the  ,l,,v  t  hev  weri'  t.,  I,e  el.,,Hli.'i|  lhu>:  ■.SuIht.  .■>(l,(Klir  in 
lln;li  (.1,.,..  iMi.diHi,  Drui.ki-h.  -ai.illMI.  Si.,yn,.rir,u  Tii,.-.v.  Kl.tMNl:  .Muzzy 
l..,i"Hi.     I)e:„l   Drunk.   -..(HHi  |„  ,.\  ery  ,ir.le  „f  life  il   w.is  iiMU.-<ual  for  a 

parts    1..  .|i~|„Tse  while  ,,i„.  n,  i-culine  niemUT  iif  it  wa.s  M.lier. 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


251 


DistilU-rics  and  hrcwcrirs  incri-ascd  apiwc,  and  Mr.  L«'<ky 
stat«'s  that,  small  as  is  tin-  |>la(r  wliicli  jrin-iirinkirif;  oci  iipics 
ill  Kn>;lisli  liistory,  it  was  |)ri»l)al)l\ ,  if  all  tin-  consccnirncos 
that  Jlowcd  from  it  arc  ciiiisidcrcd.  tlu-  most  disastrous  |)ra<- 
ticr  in  the  ci^'htccnth  century.'  I'aintfil  Ixtards  were  sus- 
|H-nd«-<l  from  the  door  of  alino>t  «'Vory  sfMnth  house,  in\  it- 
in>;  the  |)oor  to  pt  intoxii  ated  for  a  peiuiy.  and  dead  drunk 
for  t\vo|M'nce ;  straw  whereon  to  lie  hein;:  provided  without 
ehar^re  until  they  had  >!ept  oil"  the  etfeets  of  the  first  del)au<h 
and  were  ready  to  ■«tart  afresh.  Dr.  Heuson.  l{i>hop  of 
(ilouiester,  writiu};  from  Westminster  to  |{isho|»  |{erkele> 
of  (loyne  on  Kei)ruary  I's,  \7't2,  says,  "^nur  lordship  calls 
this  the  freest  country  in  Kurope.  There  i>  indi'ed  freedom 
of  one  kind  in  it  ...  a  most  unl>ounded  licentiousness  of 
all  sorts  ...  a  regard  to  notliinj:  hut  diversion  ami  \  icious 
pleasuH's.  .  .  .  Our  |)eoi)Ie  arc  now  become,  what  they 
never  were  liefore,  cruel.  Those  aci  ur-cd  spirituous  li(|uors 
which,  to  the  shame  of  our  (ioxcrmnent.  arc  so  easily  to  l)e 
had,  and  in  such  (piantities  drtnik,  have  ciian>;ed  the  very 
nature  of  our  |)eople.  .\nd  the\  will,  if  (unliinied  to  he 
drunk,  destroy  the  \ery  race  of  tlie  |>eo|)lc  thenisehcs." - 
Life  and  pro])erty  were  menaced  1).\  this  waste  of  soul 
and  sulistaiict':  tiuitis  and  footi)ads,  recruitoi  t'n.in  haunios 
and  taverns,  were  (piick  to  take  advanta^'c  ot  tiie  Miipm- 
teeted  condition  of  society.  Armed  wiiii  niurden-Us  weapons 
tlu-y  sallied  forth  at  diisk  from  their  hiding;  places  and  skuikcij 
in  dismal  alleys  or  on  the  heaths,  m  roh  wa>rarers  and 
travt'lers,  heatinj;  or  killing;  those  who  r«'sisted  tht  ni.  The 
.'^traiid  and  (ovcnt  ( Jardeii  were  infested  1)\  tiicsr  nilliaiis, 
and  mail  coaches  were  liahle  to  he  held  up  on  Ilnnuslow 
Heath,  (lad's  Hill,  or  an.v  other  open  space.  Iralcrnities 
of  criminals  handed  tou'ctlier  under  names  which  iiidicateil 


'  "KiikImijiI  111  llii' I'.ii'liii-.iitli  Ci-iilurs  \'.l    II    1.    Mil.     .>.■,■,, I-..      Mnn- 

oirr"  i>f  Williiiiii   IlickiA      ITl'i    I77.i'    :    r.iil. '1  liv    Vitrei  Sprnr.r 

'  \\  .  ( '.  .S\iliii.y  :  ■■  jjiul.iii,!  ,111,1  I  III'  l.milisli  ill  ilir  IJiuhlci  iiili  (  iniui)  '  , 
l.p.  (iJ  (i:i. 


J 


•m 


^1 


1 1 


•2')-2     TIIKKK    ItKI.KJlOlS    LKAOKKs   OK   OXFOHI) 

tlu'ir  various  (Icprcilatioiis ;    smw  \v«to  driven  to  theft  hy 
poverty,  many  more  |)referre.l  it  to  work,  not  a  few  esteemeil 
it  a  ehivalrons  (M»ii|iatiori.     James   Maclean,'  tin-  ">;entle- 
man  lii>;li\vayman,"'  anri  others  <.f  his  kidney,  after  tiiev  had 
lost   their  all  in  pursuit  of  |Jeasure  and   lust,  t.x.k   ti.  the 
road  with  liorM-.  mask,  cutlass,  and   pistols.     Cavaliers  of 
plund«T  invested  its  sordid  realities  with  a  (ictiti(.us  romance, 
and   had  a  do^'jrerel  of  their  own,  vended  ev.rywhere,  and' 
es|«.,ially  at  the  f(.ot  of  the  ^allows,  where  they  paid   the 
penalty  for  their  misdeeds.     The  adventures  of  Jack  Slie|>- 
pard  an.l!)ick  Turi.in.  who  were  Letter  kn(.wn  to  the  aver- 
a>;e   Knulishman   than  any  other  heriK-s  of  the  hangman's 
n.iH',  were  chanted  in  ah-hoiises  hy  admirin;;  yokels,  and 
roared    in   drunken   chorus   on    the   streets.     'J'l'ie   criminal 
code  was  a  ferocious  and  .sanguinary  lejjal  instrument.     .Sir 
Samuel  IJomilly,  who  .oinmands  the  adtniration  of  poster- 
ity for  the  enlij;htene<l  princi|)l.-s  of  le^'islative  justice  and 
mercy  he  advocated,  on  reviewing;  it,  said,  "The  first  thin;; 
which  strikes  one  is  the  melancholy  truth  that  amon^  the 
variety  of  actions  which  men  are  daily  liaMe  to  commit  no 
less  than  on.'  hundred  and  >i\ty  have  l)een  declared   l)y  Act 
of   rarlianient    to  he  fehmics  without  henefit  of  elersy ;   «.r 
in  other  words,  to   he  wortliy  of  instant  death."     Vet.'un- 
d«"terred  hy  this   Draconian  severity,  <rime  was  outrageous 
an<l  incessant ;    the  jails  were  filh-d  with  criminals  awaiting 
transportation  to  the  [wnal  c..lonics  or  the  cart  that  should 
convey  them  to  'lyhurn  ;    the  fre<iuent  puhlic  executions  at 
.\ewpite    and    at    the  ci.unty   towns  were  o<-casions  for  a 
junketin;;.     Men  who  owed   a   few  |)ounds  they  were  unahle 
ti)  pay  hmKuished  in  the  Fleet  iVison  ;   women  were  handed 
for  petty  thefts.-      .\||  tliat  has  I.een  affirmed   here  can  he 

'  AIsM  -pelt   .M:icl.iilii-,  iir  .MicliMiiiv 

'  Kv.M  Oxlnnl  -ti.H.Mis  ,„n,.n.,l  th.-  .xtr ,■  ,„.,mI,v.      Dr.  U„„tl,  (lH,r„ 

'      ''""'  "'    '•<■■;"    1-1   >'■'■<'   tlH.  Wl,:.,,   >,r.  ,|„  ,v„„    ,..|1   „„.,    Si, 

Mat  v.M,  ,„.v,.|  l„.,r,l  .,f  (;.,»,„■>;..,■..  ;,11„».'  Wlu  ,  I  i.ll  v.m.  Sir  ll,,,' 
I  l.jU.-  >.•....  Il„.  .n„l.-,i;r.,.|iialrs  Imaur.l  .„,(„,»,„„,„,-(  iallovv-  im  IMv«HI 
--ljan«..,|  s.r,  l.,r  l„,h«a.v  rohlM.rv.  '  \  1).  .„„|1...  :  ■,,xf„r.|  .„  ,1,,. 
tlKlitfiiitlj  (  ciiliin      .    I'    .1". 


i 


JOHN    WKSI.KY 


253 


vorifij-*!  from  the  pa^rs  of  (lax,  Walpolc,  ricKliiij;,  and 
SinoHi'tt ;  fntm  the  Srirgntr  Citlendnr,  tlu-  columns  of  the 
Siter'ntor,  t!»'  Tittler,  the  ledger,  the  London  Etening, 
iiw\  from  the  caricatures  of  (iillrav  an*l  the  pictures  of 
Ilopirth. 

The  testimony  of  these  authors,  journalists,  ami  artists 
was  hirjfely  limite<l  to  Lomlon,  because  there  tlie  Court,  tlie 
(lovernment,  the  social  ilictatorship,  nnicli  of  the  wealth 
and  one  t  nth  of  the  population  of  the  country  wer«'  located. 
Hut  in  the  provinces  and  aKricuItural  districts  a  similar  state 
of  alfairs  prevailed  ;  indeed,  Wesley  repirded  the  rural  jM-as- 
antry  as  the  most  inaccessible  of  all  the  lahorinu  classes. 
The  legislator  and  the  moralist  left  IItidj;e  out  of  their  calcu- 
lations, and  there  seemed  to  he  no  r«'medy  for  his  senseless 
antagonism  to  new  conditions.  Corrupt  and  cotit^'iited, 
his  daily  life  was  a  dull,  sullen,  insi-nsate  round,  his  lot  a 
hitter  inheritance  of  deprivation  and  practical  serfdom. 
Many  of  the  a>,'rarian  wron^js  which  had  enra>;ed  the  insur- 
gents of  the  fourteenth  century  wen-  still  in  existence,'  and 
even  now  the  backward  condition  of  these  jM'opIe  is  a  social 
problem  aj;j;ravated  by  their  conservatism  and  apathy. 
The  more  active  spirits  amonj;  them  mi>;rated  to  the 
towns,  and  settled  in  con>;ested  spots  which  bred  a  };eneral 
depravity.  The  miners  of  Cornwall,  the  potters  of  North 
StaH'ordshire,  the  colliers  of  .South  Stafiordshire,  Shropshire, 
Newcastle,  Yorkshire,  anil  the  Forest  of  Dean,  the  stoek- 
ingers  of  Northampton,  and  the  weavers  of  Lancashire,  were 
at  once  the  most  unruly  and  the  most  promisinj;  workmen 
of  Kn^dand.  Their  moral  deterioration  was  so  marked  that 
respectable  members  of  the  conununity  di'sj)ised  them, 
oblivious  of  the  fact  that  they  had  been  denied  those  pri- 
mary elements  and  means  of  knowledf;e  which  human  beinjjs 
have  a  right  to  expect  and  actjuire.     The  character  of  these 

'  As  u  matter  of  fact,  tin- .stati'  of  tlic  Kimlish  poasiintry  was  worse  at  thi.H 
time  (ITtiil  IsJil)  than  iliiriii>;  the  Miilille  Auei,  owiim  to  the  inclosure  of 
the  eoiiiiiiuu  luuils  and  the  injustiee  and  h  inlship  that  this  wrought. 


ri*  It  ^> 

m 


m 


u 


m 


l\ 


i 


2:.4      THUKK    UKLKMors    LKADKHS   ()¥   OXFORD 

mt-ri  aiul  w..tii<ii  w  ax  iit  tlu-  main  >lia|M-<l  Uy  tin-  «ip(utiistnri(rK 
in  «lii<li  tli.y  wtTi-  plti('<><l  ami  the  laws  hy  which  tlu-y  wen- 
P.V.TIH-.I.     Uli.M  th.-s,.  .Iiunp-d  th.-y  .hanKr.],  un<l  nutwitli- 
.standiriu  flu-ir  faults  and  pn.Hiua.i.-s  tl»-y  wvrv  at  all  tiiiu-s 
vital    and     responsive.     I'hy^i.al    standards    i.f    nuiidi.KMl 
itmn-d  tlicrn  to  the  hardships  ,.f  the  r.mlpit  and  the  f.-r^e. 
The  wake  and  the  fair  were  the  o.-easions  for  their  dissipa- 
tion,  adonlinu   tlu-ni    relief   aft.-r  «-\haustin>;   labors   whieh 
hnniihat.d  the  h«Mly  and  apparently  lanceled  the  last  traci-s 
of   humanity   in   the   sonl.     Km|)loy,.rs.   enriched    i.v   their 
exertions,  (hrnanded  from  them  an  iinreinittiiiK  toil'  which 
l.enumi)e.l  their  intelle.  tiial  life  and  (lunj;  them  hack  into 
papiiiism.     Anything   which   could   uplift   them   was  either 
forgotten  or  scouted;    when  releas«^|  from  work  they  were 
left  at  the  mercy  (,f  their  animal  instincts,  the  reckless' i„dul- 
p-nc.'  of  which,  a^  their  only  means  of  recreation,  made  tluni 
thenceforth  impatient  of  moral  restraint.     The  heartlessiiess 
an<l  avarice  of  tiie  masters  and  the  crushing  slavery  of  the 
workers  uerc  a  monstrous  contradiction  of  New  Testament 
teachiiiK  in  a  nominally  Christum  land.     The  larp-r  part  of 
the  inhahitants  <.f  the  mining  and  manufacturin);  districts 
were  without  1io|h-.  l)ecaiise  they  were  without  (mmI.'     The 
few  iive,|  at  the  expense  of  the  many.     I'ay  ,|av  was  preced.d 
by  semi-starvation  and  fo||owe.l  l)y  a  saturnalia.     The  agents 
and  managers  of  the  pits  and  factories  were  not  infre(iuently 
owners  or  lessees  of  adjoining;  ta\(rns  where  thev  practically 
conhscated  the  hank-ariied  |)ittance  of  the  workmen,  who 
must  perfone  spc.l  it  there  or  suffer  for  their  al)stineiK-e. 
DoK-hK'htiiiK.    cock-liKlitiiiK.    |)i>;eon-hominK.    and    bouts    of 
fisticuir,  were  intersjHTsed  with  horse-raciiiK  and  biill-baitiiiK. 
Almo>t  any  placr  that  could  muster  a  siiHicientlv  profitable 
•  rowd  to  witness  th.^  latter  spectacle  provided  accomm.Kla- 
tioii  for  It.  and  one  of  th.'  Mjuares  of  the  city  of  liirniinnham 

f..J  M.''w?.I^i'i','''^''^'';''  ""■"""■  '."  """"'•■"'■■"  "f  "lanufarfurinK  ...M,t.T«. 
that  It   «„.s  ,lil|„-ult   to  ,„|;,|,t  It  to  tlu.»,.  KrowiiiK  uiv,U. 


JOHN    WKSLKV 


;;.>.> 


still  retoins  the  niiiiif  of  the  Hull  liUm.  Tlir  W'irkly  .limninl 
for  June  U,  I7l»t,  uihcrtiMMJ  tliiit  a  iH-iir-haitiiiK  tu  tin-  ilfatli, 
uitli  huii-lmitiiiK  in  ailditiou,  would  Im-^mm  at  :{  o'cloc-k  in 
tlu-  aftiTii'ioii,  as  tlu-  >|Mirt  prnniiMd  tu  Im'  Itiijftliy;  a  wild 
l)ull  was  alsii  ti>  Ik-  nlniMil  with  Hn'work>  all  ovt-r  its  ImmIv. 
Naint'lcss  torturiuKs  and  nnitilatiuns  wm-  noirssary  in  <trd«'r 
t«»  attract  tlu-  lar(,'<-<t  nathrrinjcs.  Sonn'tinu's,  to  tlic  IniK'- 
rt'lisli  of  on-lo4ik(Ts,  a  cat  wa-.  tied  to  tin-  hull's  tail ;  and  tlu' 
delight  of  the  inol)  knew  no  IhiuiuIs  when  an  unfortunate 
wiffht   was  tos.s«'d   hy  the  frantic  h<ast. 

A  well  known  rextrt  of  thoM-  who  matched  j^ame  cocks 
amied  with  steel  s|)urs,  was  found  in  Mird  ("aK<"  ^Valk,  under 
the  shadow  (»f  Westniin^ttT  AMn-y.  It  was  here  that 
Hogarth  sketched  the  outline  for  his  pictiire  "The  Cockpit," 
painted  in  17.')!»,  althou^li  he  iniKht  have  ohtained  material 
anywhere,  sincr  co<k-pits  wm-  common,  even  at  the  puhlic 
schools,  and  patroni/cil  hy  all  classes.  Some  mains  lasted 
three  days,  and  not  less  thiin  two  or  three  hundred  hirds 
were  killed.  The  church  Im-IK  had  Ih-cii  known  to  rinj; 
a  merry  jn-al  when  town  or  county  securefl  the  coveted 
prize.  The  names  of  famous  pujjilists  wiTc  h(»useho|il 
words:  their  jxirtraits  were  found  in  the  ^un-rooms  of  the 
wealthy,  the  students'  hatmts  at  the  I'liiversities,  and  on 
the  walls  of  the  coaching  hostelrics  and  taverns.  Matches 
were  arranged  by  the  iiohility  and  pntry,  who  prcMMited 
Mts  iH-studded  with  gold  to  the  succ«-ssful  coinhatants. 
Even  royalty  did  not  disdain  the  prize  ring  when  some  first- 
rate  exiK)nent  of  "the  manly  art  of  self  defense"  occupied 
the  arena,  and  it  is  on  record  that  the  House  of  Connnons 
adjourned  on  Kel)ruary  27.  I77(t.  to  attend  a  contest  at  Car- 
li.sle  House  in  Soho.  Tiie  giltled  youth  of  Piccadilly  and  I'all 
Mall  as|)ired  to  fistic  honors,  and  lent  their  countenance  to 
any  likely  lad  for  the  coinpanionshi|>.  Men,  and  sonu  times 
women,  delirious  with  drink  and  deviltry,  circled  around  the 
half-naked  juigilists,  urging  them  forwani  and  l)etting 
excitedly  on  the  outcome.     Comment  on  such  despotisms 


!.(! 


i'ii 


M 


f  n 


fi 


SI 


lllil 


MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION    TEST   CHART 

lANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    7\ 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


If  iiM  m 


1.4 


1.8 


1.6 


A     APPLIED  INA^GE     Inc 


i  "lei   288  -  S'^sg   -  fa 


I 


256      THREE    RELIGIOUS  LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

of  fleshly  lust  is  unnecessary:  suffice  it  to  say  that  they 
further  enchaine.l  the  hai)less  masses  which  <  he  rise  of  indus- 
tnahsni  ui  towns  and  cities  had  already  brought  under  its 
doniuuon.  The  i)e..j)le,  who  delved  into  every  other  abyss 
before  they  reached  that  of  the  grave,  literally  perished  for 
lack  of  knowledge. 

Yet  any  survey  of  eighteenth  century  England  from  the 
ethical  standpouit  shoul.l  not  fail  to  emphasize  the  good 
qualities  which  lay  dormant  beneath  such  riot  and  confu- 
sion.    Because  some  annalists  have  neglected  to  do  this, 
their  acc..unts,  while  true  as  to  facts,  are  misleading  in  im- 
port.    He  would  be  an  unscientific  hydrographer  who  should 
describe  the  ocean  in  nothing  more  than  terms  of  its  surface 
calms,  Its  currents,  its  stc.rms.  and  tempests.     Beneath  these 
lie  silent  depths,  the  reservoirs  of  its  life  and  power,  in  which 
are  contained  the  remnants  of  past  ages  and  all  those  forms 
ot  recurring  sanitation  and  renewed  existence  that  help  to 
preserve  the  habitable  globe.     The  illustration  applies  to 
humanity  in  any  period,  an<l  especially  in  such  an  age  as 
Lesleys,  which,  apparently  so  impotent,  in  reality  had  a 
decided  cai)acit%-  for  regeneration.     There  has  always  been 
virtue  enough  in  the  world  when  there  has  been  sufficient 
religious  earnestness  to  call  it  forth,  and  always  religious 
earnestness  enough  when  there  were  strong  convictions  to 
arouse  it.     Individual  and  social  conduct  may  be  reprobate 
when  acting  under  the  governance  of  swiftly  succeeding 
passioiis  of  the   baser  sort,  but  it  still   has  to  reckon  with 
those  fundamental   laws  of  soul  and  conscience  and  with 
tliose  necessities  of  character  upon  which  the  making  of 
Christian  civilization  depends.     The  impressionist  can  find 
abundant  social  phenomena  in  the  days  ..   the  Georges  to 
justify  pessimistic  conclusions,  l)ut  he  should   correct   his 
observations  by  extending  them  to  the  eras  that  went  be- 
fore and  came  after.     The  very  wickedness  of   the   period 
furnished  opportunities  for  the  evangelist  an<i  the  reformer 
l^aith  had  the  last  word,  and   during  the  drcarv  interval 


JOHN   WKSLEY 


257 


j 


the  few  who  held  fast  the  beginning  of  their  confidence 
without  wavering  had  the  consohition  that 

"Power  is  with  us  in  the  night 
Which  maiies  the  dariiness  and  the  light, 
And  dwells  not  in  the  light  alone." 

Past  and  future  had  large  interests  at  stake  in  the  eighteenth 
century :  and  where  such  interests  are  found  their  rights 
and  claims  must  eventually  Ik*  asserted.  More  powerful 
than  all  else  was  the  unchanging  truth  that  one  Image  is 
indelibly  engraven  on  the  mind  of  Christendom  :  the  Christ 
who  reveals  the  Father  in  all  times  and  to  all  His  children 
was  still  present  with  His  scattered  flock.  Those  who  felt 
the  inward  strivings  of  divine  monition  still  heard  His  voice 
and  followed  Him.  Wherever  any  resemblance  to  the  great 
Original  was  perceptible  in  ideals  of  charity  and  deeds  of 
sacrifice,  there  the  most  lawless  were  siilxlucd  and  i>aid  a 
becoming  reverence.  The  Spirit  of  the  Eternal  brooded 
then,  as  He  ever  does,  over  tlie  social  abyss,  to  dispel  its 
apathy  and  illuminate  its  gloom.  Merchants,  miners,  and 
artisans  were  mysteriously  prepared  by  His  offices  to  receive 
the  message  and  mission  of  WhitefieM  ami  Wesley.  After 
the  long  dearth  of  nearly  a  hundred  years  their  preaching 
was  as  grateful  to  these  hearers  as  the  return  of  spring. 
Amidst  every  facility  that  could  be  given  to  treacherous 
and  ignoble  traits,  and  to  leaders  in  .'^tate  or  Church  who 
seldom  manifested  any  moral  apprelu  ^ion  or  spiritual 
desire,  the  revival  of  religion  was  l)orn  from  above,  to 
strengthen  the  sinews  and  the  heart  of  England.  It  re- 
kindled, as  already  observed,  her  consciousness  of  God,  and 
prevented  her  from  political  and  social  revolution.  The 
first  result  was  a  primal  and  an  unmixed  blessing,  the 
second  was  by  no  means  without  qualifications,  —  althougii, 
in  view  of  the  enormities  of  the  French  ujirising,  which  yet 
rendered  signal  service  in  shattering  the  corrui)t  traditions 
of  the  century  and  in  punishing  its  luxury,  frivolity,  and 


■f 


258      THREE    KELIOIOUS   LEADEIIS   OF   OXFORD 

oppression,  it  was  pcrlu.ps  salutary  for  Europe  that  England 
should    have  maintained    her  ancient   eonstitutional   politv 
AUen  ui  the  rush  of  thes..  fearful  events  the  first  Napoleon 
elinil)ed    to    power,  at.d,   to   quote    Lord     |{osel)ery    "his 
gi'inus  had  enlarj;e<l   indefinitely  the  scope  of  human  con- 
ception  and    possil.ility."   it  was  the   resilient   strength  of 
the    I  nited    Knigdom    which   dashed   with   his    boundless 
amh.tion.     Ai.le.1   i,y  the  reaction  of  his  stupen.lous  gifts 
she  ddeate<l   the  final   efforts  of  the  conqueror  who   had 
earned  the  faculties  of  war  and  administration  to  their  far- 
thest point  and  held  a  continent  in  awe.     Few  severer  tests 
could  he  imposed  on  any  people  than  those  whidi  Britons 
then  met  and  satisfied.     The  ,,.tc.,me  goes  beyond  the  period 
with  which  we  are  directly  concerned,  but  its  causes  belong 
there.     (Vrtainly   the   statesmanship   of    Pitt   and    Burke, 
Uiyes   conquest   of   India,   the   campaigns   of  Moore   and 
Ueliington,  and  the  naval  victories  of   Hood  and  Nelson 
regaine.1  in  the  East  the  prestige  which  had  been  lost  in  the 
West,  and  Great  Britain  never  stood  so  high  in  the  councils 
of  the  world  as  after  Waterloo.     That  the  Evangdical  Re- 
vival was  one  of  the  chief  factors  in  evoking  and  conserving 
the  s<,lidanty  and  discipline  of  the  forces  thus  engaged  can- 
not be  seriously  gainsai.l ;   and.  although  domestic  reforms 
were  too  long   postpone<l.  e\entually  tliev  could  not    be  re- 
strained.    The  same  trustworthy  res.-rves  of  character  which 
had  furnishetl  Wesleyanism  with  its  cnstitueneies,  defended 
the  ilomdand  from  invasion,  and  extended  the  boundaries 
of  the  Empire,  also  hdpe.l  to  secure  the  social  advantages 
wliich  have  nexer  ceased  to  accrue  to  English  democracy. 


CHAFrER  VII 
CONFLICT  AND  VICTORY 


2.'>9 


C 1  i 

.! 


, 


Lkt  not  tint  iiiiu^re  fa,],., 

!u7'  **.*-',"'  ■'  ''""'"  '""  •'"'  "'""'^  of  men, 
t1  Inm,  I  |,y  n„.,si.„j;,.r  an.l  stainlrss  priest 
in  a  linil...  mmI,!,.!,,  ;,„,|  unfaithful  tinip       ' 

f-arly  a„.|  I..,,.,  „Vr  lan.l  ami  soa,  ,m-<lriven; 
n  .v..uth,  m  ,.af;.T  nuu.lHHHl,  a«,-  extreme  - 
Dme„  on  forever.  I.a,.k  an,l  f„r,l.  the  world. 
oy  that  (livnii- wiij)otent  <lesire. 

UauAKD  Watson  Gildeu:  Ode  to  Wesley. 


260 


niAFrER  VII 

CONKLKT   AM)   VKTOKV 

Political  (Icvelopnioiit  of  F.nKlitnd  in  tlic  *M;;litoonth  century  —  Liter- 
ature of  the  |)eri(xi  -  ItKTciisitijj  [)ros|M'rity  of  tlie  country  —  English 
religious  thougiit  rationiilistic  in  tone  —  Ailhen'uce  to  Locke  —  Con- 
flict Iwtwecn  orthodoxy  ami  deism  —  Loss  of  s|)iritiiality  in  the  Church 
caused  by  undue  insistence  on  rationalizing — Clergy  of  the  Ustal)- 
lishinent  not  entirely  to  hlanie  —  Their  poverty  —  Decadence  of  Dis- 
sent —  Spirit\ial  awakenings  in  Kngland  and  Scotlaml  prior  to  Wesley 
—  Wesley's  visit  to  Herrnhut  — Christian  David  —  Warl)urton  and 
Wesley — (leorge  Whitefield  —  His  field  preaching  —  Wesley  joins 
Whitefield  —John  Nelsotrs  description  of  Wesley's  laliors  —  Kniotional 
outbursts  consequent  on  Wesley's  preaching  ^  Clerical  opponents  — 
Bishops  Cibson,  Lavington,  anil  Warburton  —  Wesley's  relation  to 
the  Establishment  —  Popular  outbreaks  against  the  Methodists. 


The  British  dominions  expandi'd  rapidiv  diirinj:  Wesley's 
lifetime,  their  growth  being  due  to  the  colonizing  and  com- 
mercial activities  of  Englishmen  and  also  to  their  inimerous 
conflicts  with  France.  Sixty-four  of  the  one-luuidred  and 
twenty-six  years  between  the  reigns  of  .James  II  and  George 
III  were  spent  in  a  series  of  wars,  the  longest  of  which 
lasted  twelve  and  the  shortest  seven  years,  tiieir  general 
result  being  that  Britain  became  the  mother  of  free  common- 
wealths in  the  West  and  at  the  .\ntipodes,  whose  inhabitants 
shared  with  her  a  common  language  and  law.  The  revolt 
of  the  American  Colonists  in  177()  showed  that  communi- 
ties derived  from  the  parental  stock  could  not  be  held  to 
their  allegiaiKv  when  unwise  legislation  ullendcd  their  love 
of  freedom,  and  least  of  all  by  the  threat  and  employment 

261 


I  ,i 


•     ! 


•UK 


I 


262      THUKK    UKLICIOUS   LKADKUS  OF   OXKOKD 

of  pliVM.al    f.-rce.     Tin-   ontcoinc  cistircl   the  .'limi.mtion 
from  British  policy  c.f  these  stnictiiral  .lcf,.cts  that  ha.l  n-- 
Miltf.1   m  tlK-  .n>s„hitioM  ,.f  pn-vi..iis  cnipir-.s,  eoiisistiiiK  of 
ahfii  nationalities  nH.,hai,i,allycoinprfssi.(|  into  a  sU{HTfieial 
unity.     The  triinnph  of  Washington  and  his  fellow-patriots 
was  an   nnpnssive  lesson  in  tlu-  rights  of  self-government 
whieh  KnKh>h  statesmen  have  not  forgotten,  and  it  was  not 
•■ss  instructive  for  the  f..undcrs  of  the  Rcpiihlie.     The  world 
iia.l    never    known    what    they    proposed    to    establish,  an 
enlightened  and   popular  authority  intended  t..  oiH-rate  on 
a   continental   scale.     Hitherto   n-piihlican   institutions  ha<l 
existed  only  in  cities  and   coini)act   provinces  such  as  the 
Italian    municipaliti.s    and    the    Swiss    ( 'onfederacv ;    even 
ancient    Home  failed  in  her  clVorts  to  realize  the  mean  hc- 
twcn  anarchy  and  dopotism.     Ileiue,  from  the  beginning 
the    American    e.\perim<-nt    was    viewed  with    disfavor    by 
iMiropean  rulers  whose  interests  were  imperiled  b\-  its  grow- 
nig   success,    and    with    an.xiety   by  publicists   who    felt    a 
-sincere  distrust    of    democracy.     That    it    succeeded    is   a 
tribute   to   the   respect   for  precedent   and    for  law   which 
animated  its  leaders. 

While  Hritons  arose  every  morning  to  hear  of  new  victo- 
ries on  land  or  sea,  they  took  pains  to  push  the  business 
ventures  that  provided  funds  for  the  costly  military  proi- 
ects  of  the  government,  and  left  a  handsome  surplus    to 
their   capital    account.     Financial    interests    were   carefullv 
ostcred  by  Sir  IJobert  Walpole,   who  was  brought  to  the 
front  rank  of  jjolitics  in  1721  by  the  panic  that  followed  the 
<"IIapse   of   th..   South   Sea    Hubble   and   involved    several 
"musters  of  State.     He  had  warned  the  countrv  against  the 
scheme,  and  it  was  to  him  that  the  English  people  looked  for 
guidance  and  recovery  when  disaster  overtook  them      Wal- 
pole sprang  from  the  <-o,intry  gentry  whose  vices  he   shared 
Nmhout  their  stupidities.     He  owe.l  his  long  continuance  in 
oftur  to  a  variety  of  causes,  but  chiefly  to  his  pre.lominance 
as  a  man  of  aflairs  when  m.n  of  affairs  were  few  in  the  House 


JOHN    WKSLEY 


203 


of  Commons.  More  tnistwurtliy  than  tin-  gifted  but  treiicli- 
erous  St.  .Fohn '  wiiom  lu'  succt't'drtl.  \VaI|)()U'  saw  wliat 
even  StanhojH'  had  faiU'd  to  sc*- :  that  tlic  masses  were 
not  prepared  to  partieipate  in  affairs  of  government,  which, 
as  yet,  must  he  reserved  for  the  npper  classes.  His  dil- 
atory tactics  and  pacific  teniiM'rament  staved  off  the 
wars  for  wiiich  the  nation  chiniored,  while  he  devoted  his 
wise  and  useful  talents  to  its  material  prosperity.  In  no 
sense  a  scholar,  a  courtier,  or  a  wit,  Walpole  was  never- 
theless a   statesman    of    firm    temix-r  and   unfaiiiiif,'   k 1 

humor;  sane,  self-contained,  and  shrewd  in  practical  con- 
cerns. These  gifts  eiial)led  him  to  imjjose  his  will  on  the 
Cabinet,  and  for  twenty  years  he  was  the  virtual  head  of  the 
State,  the  first  of  a  series  of  rriuie  Ministers  who  have 
gradually  limited  the  j)rero);atives  of  the  Crown  and  estab- 
lished the  party  system  whicii  ol>tains  in  Kngland.  .Vomers 
and  Montague,  Ilarley  and  Molingbrukc,  were  f()reino>t 
members  of  administrations  whicii  hail  no  |)reniicr  :  Walixde, 
on  the  other  hand,  inaugurated  tiie  slow  and  silent  cliangc 
by  which  the  English  constitution  was  tran>fornicd  from  an 
hereditary  monarciiy  with  a  parliamentary  regulative  agency 
into  a  parliamentary  government  with  an  hereditary  regu- 
lative agency.  He  was  accused  of  wholesale  brilury  and 
corruption,  but  a  careful  scrutiny  of  his  conduct  does 
not  altt)gether  sustain  the  charges  nor  justify  the  reproach 
that  has  blackened  his  reputatiim.  His  successor,  Henry 
I'elham,  employed  methods  which  Waljxile  disdained  to  use, 
and  Pelham's  brother,  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  who  suc- 
ceeded him,  had  lower  standards  of  public  honesty  than 
either  of  his  inmiediatc  predecessors.  The  wars  with  France 
virtually  ended  Xewcastli's  ministry,  and  tlicn  emerged  the 
elder  Pitt,  Lord  Chatham,  whose  lofty  appeal  to  the  patriot- 
ism of  his  countrymen  enthralled  England  and  marked 
the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  her  affairs.  Witli  too  much 
dignity  of   character  to  care  for  the  emohuncnts  of  ofHcc, 

'  Kleviitod  to  the  pocraac  in  1712  :is  Visiouiit  MiiliM«lin>ki'. 


!1 


Vll 


,1 


?u: 


v% 


t^', 


2G4 


TIIRKK    HKLIOIOUS    I.KADKIJS   OF   OXFOKD 


I.t  Kovmu..  .ytl,..f..r,,.  ..f  his  trvumuUms  ixTsonality 
an.l  Ins  .splnuli.!  .xmnpl..  ratluT  than  l.y  |„.|iti,,,|  sapicitv 
lis  c-oirunandiMR  (•..untniaiKr  arul  U-arinu  itHlicat.-.i  the 
JxTM  ruK.r  .,  „..„.  I|,  ^as  fi||..,l  with  i.i.-als  un.l  ho.Hvs 
which.  th...i«h  th.y  .mil.!  „„t  always  1...  r.-alizni.  stati.,,,.,1 
"tn  as  sorm.thiMK  apart  fn.in  thr  c.nrti.rs  an.l  nlamnni 
l.y  wh,„„  lu.  was  snrr„Mn.|,-,|.  Hi.  ,hr,.„i..  ai.l  al.v>mal 
tiu'lan.huly  .krpcnf.i    this  iinpn'ssi...,  or.   these  who  'k.u'W 

'"'"•  '""     !|"'   "•"«'<•  ^••'•' '■   I'i-^   \n.t   ,,rot.-st  aKainst  tho 

policy  ot   (.coFKc  the  Thin!  co„viM.r.l   the  natio,,  that  its 
true  Kreattiess  luul  lur,.  safest  ii.  the  k..,.pi„K  of  the  .IviiiR 
hero  who,  ••  wounded  sore,  'sank  foiled."  I.ut  fijchtinK  ever- 
more.      The  career  of  his  son.  "the  heaven-lmrn   minister 
of  Mate,     was  made  famous  hy  his  roista.ur  of  XapoJeon 
I  and  his  hfe-louK  .h,,.]  with  his  K'reat  a.lversarv.  Charles 
James   I-ox.     Above  all  other  statesmen    <.f  the'peri.Ml  in 
his  eloquent  and  profotni.l  exposition  of  constitutional  ques- 
tions  stood    Kdnum.l    Hurke.   the   illustrious   orator   whose 
hatre.l  of  the  excesses  of  the  l-V.-nch  H.-volution  prompted 
those    •apoc.dyi)tie  ravines"   which.   wIiiK'   thev  deflected 
his  Remus  from   its  true  ol.jects.   added    to    his   renown.' 
Ihe  endless   intrigues  and  controversies  of  the  century- 
were  not  eondu<i\-e  to  the  growth  of  .lomestio  reform,  vet 
they  were  interpenetrate.1  with  larger.  Ix-tter  public  aspira- 
tK.ns  for  which  the  efforts  of  th..  more  cnliRht.-ned  Whigs  and 
Kadical  partisans  were  chicdy  n-sponsible.     Hut  aristocratic 
int.T.'sts  were  then  vry  powerful :    l.orouRh-monRcrinjr  was 
everywhere  accepted,  ecclesiastical   monoix.Iies  were  al)un- 
<lant,  and  equal  an<l  si,ee.lx  justice  in  ordinarv  matters  was 

.;i:  ;:  \;  l;i:;;::;r"r;;;j;-;;.,r::;;,;;;":'™,;;;,--: 

";     ,'-        '    •:"  ""•■■;l.»-l"'"  ■■."■1  ••xpori,.,,,.,..      II..  ,.„rn.,„.,|  l,i.  .«,.  2nn 

»>sioni  ol  phil(  M,|,l,y,  \n-  s..,.nis  to  liavc  mmmi  fartliiT  into  the  true  intiir,.  ,if 
HOHoty  ...„,„.    ,.v..  „„.n.  ..|,.:.rl.v  ..o,„pr,.|„.,„l..,l  ,h.  .IT  ....        r  ■   do",, 
n  -  .a«  ukJ.v.,!,,:,    s,..„n,y  «„h  „M,i.,„,.,l  uvlfar.,  ,lui.,  any  pl  U  Jo,    er  "r 
any  .system  of  philosopliy  of  ,.„y  prixclini;  awe."  pnii,.»opntr  or 


.lOlIN    WKSLKY 


205 


(lifHc-ult  to  ()l)taiii.  Till-  iiutidii's  ^jrfutost  need,  liowwtT, 
was  not  11  sotial  R'ailju>tiiuiit,  nor  uii  filiuatioiial  program, 
so  iiiuch  as  a  spiritual  ri-jtciuration.  Maii.v  |HT<»ivnl  and 
(U'sircd  this,  lint  flu-  nuans  tluy  »inpl(>v»(l  wjtc  wholly 
inuil(-({natc.  They  had  forpittcii  that  man  is  an  tinotional 
iM-iiiff,  and  apjualcd  solfl.v  to  his  nason,  tnatinj;  any  display 
of  feeling;  is  folly,  and  hrandin;,'  it  with  the  opiirohrioiis  numt" 
of  t-nthiisiasni,  a  term  which  moved  into  an  ciitin-ly  nt-w 
utmospluTc  after  the  KvanKelical  Revival,  pa^in^  from 
eontempt  to  honor.  The  i)reaeliin>;  of  Whitefield  and  the 
Wesleys,  which  was  mainly  directed  to  the  individual  heart 
and  conseienee,  sui)|)lied  their  damiiMt  necessities  and  pive 
tt)  mimherless  Knj;lislimen  a  vijjorous  so'ial  coherence 
through  a  common  relij;ious  cxperii-nce.  Woley's  contribu- 
tion was  a  powerful  or;;anization  which,  when  once  es- 
tablished, did  iKit  always  follow  the  course  of  its  author, 
but  iidai)ted  itself  to  the  exij;encies  of  unforeseen  circum- 
stunces. 

Movements  in  literature  corresponded  with  tliose  t)f 
ethics  and  religion.  They  sjiranj;  into  beiiij;  from  a  soil 
not  upturned  l)y  any  violent  convulsion,  but  in  which  an 
irrepressible  vitality  luul  been  secretly  at  work.  From  the 
ajre  of  Milton  to  that  of  We-i< ;  .  ruritanism  had  been  ban- 
ished from  the  superficial  life  ot  the  world.  "Vit,  Munyau 
had  dreamt  his  dream,  anil  visualized  forever  his  ima;,Mninj;s  ; 
Addison  had  reconciled  literature  witii  tlie  earnest  purposes 
of  human  existence;  Defoe  had  <,'rasped  the  concrete  sub- 
stance cf  things  and  breatlieil  truth  into  fiction."  '  When 
deism  entered  the  field  it  infected  with  its  cold  and  un- 
sympathetic outlook  the  school  of  which  .\lexander  Pope 
was  the  acknowledged  master.  The  new  birth  of  Puritan- 
ism and  the  resurrection  of  emotion  reacted  apiinst  this, 
and  concurred  in  givintr  rise  to  the  romanticism  of  Burns 
and  Scott.  They  demonstrated  that  the  spirit  of  man 
demanded   emancipation  from  a  one-sided    intellectualism, 

'  "The  Cambridge  History  of  English  Litc'niture"  ;   Vol.  X,  pp.  1-2. 


114^1. 


il 


il 


(  i 


^f 


' 


['I 


2«U> 


TIIUKK    UKMOIOIIS    LKADKKS   oK   OXKOUD 


jiii.l  Wonlswurth  iiftcnvanN  criforrcd  tin-  .Ictimrifl  by 
pn.tiiptitij;  thiit  ntiini  to  imtiirf  ..f  whiili  U..iis.s«-mrs 
\vritiiin>  wtTc  M>  |)(M.r  an  <x|)ns>i<iii.  Tliisf  niidtTlying 
prim  i|)l<s  an-  iiunK   iiu-iiticiUMl  Ihtc,  hut  tlu-y  slioiiM  Jw 

taktti  into  sirimis  aci iit  in  any  attempt  to  appraise  ami 

intrri)r.t  the  litcrj.ry  output  of  the  ciitiiry,  which  hi'Kan 
«ith  l'(.pc,  l.iit  was  really  fatli.Tf.!  \n   Dryilcn. 

'I'll.'  uork  of  the  hi^rh  pri.^t  of  ps.-ii<|<M-las.sifism,  thor- 
ohkIiIn  inihned  as  it  \va>  with  the  spirit  of  iiis  art,  fiirnishf<l 
nimiit    s|)f.(h    with    inan\    of  its  (inotahlc  phrases.     The 
"Rape  of  the  Lock"  has  l.e<.ii  tenneij   the  most  hriiliant 
oeeasioniil  |„,etn  in  the  lanKiia^e.  ami  as  a  rule  Toih-'s  verse 
reaeheil  the  heiuht  of  jiolished  perfe(  tion.     When  its  faultless 
monotony  I.epin  to  weary  the  ear  of  a  more  earnest  ki'IUTu- 
tion.  Kolnrt  Hums  appeared,  and  heralded  another  e|M)eh  for 
humanity  in  his  s|)ontaneous  son>,'.     He  was  s'    completely 
the  K'reatest  of  Scottish  poets  that  no  other  c  mies  into  the 
reckoning'.     Sir  Walter  Scott's  genius  was  more  «-chrtic,  but 
in  the  essential  chinent^and  >pirit  of  the  balhid  Burns  is  still 
unsuri)assed.     He  used  the  narrow  cranny  of  a  rustic  dialect 
to  pour  out  a  lyric  so  unafrected,  so  comi)assionate,  s<»<lear, 
and   so  appro})riate,   that   it   rejuvenate<l   his   nation.     Be- 
Kinnin>;  as  tiie   hard   of  his  shire,   he  became  the  pm-t  of 
Scotland,  and  ended  as  the  singer  of  love,  nature,  patriot- 
ism, fri.iidship.  an<l  courage  for  the  En);lish-s|H-akinK  race. 
Thomas  Cray   and    William   Collins  strove  to   revive  the 
desif,Mis  of  (Jreece,  both  in  the  fullness  and  nuiturity  of  their 
style:    (Iray's  "KIcKy"  remains,  as  Lonl  Morley  has  .said, 
"an   eternal  delij^lit   and   solace  for  the  hearts  of  wearied 
men,"  and  had  Collins  lived,  he  mi),'lit  have  rivaled  Koats. 
Oliver  Coldsmith   vocalized   the  new  feelinj,'  for  man  and 
na^tiT.'  in  his  •'Traveller"  (irui)  an<l  the  "Deserted  Village" 
(177(1).     The  merits  of  the  hund)le  and  obscure,  the  charms 
«)l'  j)astoral  environment  and  the  bles.siufts  of  the  religious 
life  wcr  •  expressed  in  the  works  of  Cow{H'r,  which  murk  tlie 
second  phase  of  poetry  in  the  eijjhteenth  century.     In  1782, 


i  ■■ 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


267 


y 
J 

ri 

n 


»h«'n  past  his  Kfti'tli  ynir,  In  ^aw  fnrth  from  a  litV  of  shI 
s«'(liisioii  Ills  first  viiliinif.  iiml  tlirtf  v(iir>  latir  "'I'lir  'l'a>k 
aixl  Otlur  INh-iiis"  was  piilili-lnil.  Tin-  >trnii^'  >tii-f,  piod 
nionils,  ildiiitstic  pifty,  an<l  li>\c  of  rural  sicnrry  cxprosfil 
ill  tlirni  ri'vraitHl  |Mi>siliiiiti(>  in  pottrv  wliidi  many  wlio 
\v()rslii|MM|   I'ojH"  li;i(l  nut  >ii>|m  rtcd. 

In  iitli.T  hranclifs  of  littratiirr  inllntiitial  wriliTs  soinr- 
tiiiu's  forp)t  that  works  to  lir  thiliirinn  inii>t  lie  ticvatrd 
ahovr  contiiinxjrary  >tanilanU  ami  int«r(>t>.  The  miMrii- 
piilous  partisan  wliost-  n-imtation  \\a-»  haxii  upon  coiitro- 
vi-rsial  skill  paid  littlf  r«%'ard  to  the  literary  (•oiiMitncc.  his 
priiK-ipal  aim  iwiiiji  the  proving  of  hi>  « ast-  wholly  ri;:lit  and 
that  of  his  antapMiist  wholly  wroiiK-  IMiiloNoplur>  wiio  liisi- 
tatt-*!  lucaiisf  tlu-y  ht-ld  more  (oinprfhciisivc  and  halaiuril 
views  wvTv  far  less  aee«'ptal)le  to  the  popular  taste  tliaii  es- 
sayists and  painphlete«Ts  who  s-tthd  vexatious  (luestions 
with  dof;iiiatie  assurance,  and  curried  their  oi)inions  on  re- 
linioii,  ethics,  or  politics  to  tlie  last  extreiiu".  The  century 
was  impatient  of  the  twili^'ht  zone  in  tiie>e  diMUs>ions;  it 
wt'lcome<i  the  man  who  was  entirely  iH)sitive,  clear,  and 
iiiiham|M'red  by  niisj;iviiij;s.  Jacohites  and  Hanoverians, 
Whins  and  T«)ries,  Romans  and  Protestants,  Churchmen 
and  Dissenters,  Jurors  and  Non-Jurors,  Skeptics  ami  Sec- 
taries stoutly  e()ntende<i  for  their  ris|M'ctiv»'  ortluMioxies, 
and  denounced  the  rest  with  an  intolerance  ignorant  of 
compromise.  When  Dean  Swifts  pen  was  enlisted  in 
support  of  Harley  and  Holinjthroke,  he  at  once  turned 
upon  his  former  friends  Addison  and  Steele  ami  ahused  them 
with  unseemly  violencr,  lookinj;  upon  his  rivals,  not  as 
opponents  to  he  defeated,  hut  as  enemies  to  he  driven  out 
of  public  life.  His  amazing  j;eiiius  found  an  opeiiiiif;  for 
its  display  in  his  pamph.let  on  "The  Coi.duct  of  the  Allies," 
which  rendered  one  of  KiiKland's  most  jMipuiar  wars  so  odious 
that  the  j)eople  loudly  demanded  peace  on  ahnost  any 
terms.  For  inventiveness,  ridicide,  scorn,  and  hate,  no 
satires  have  surpassi-d  "Gulliver's  Travels"  and  few  if  any 


TIM 


:X 


1 '     * 
if-  ■    t 


268      TIiREK    HKLKJIOLS    LEADERS  OK  OXFORD 

political  authors  l.uvc-  wi<.l.|«i  these  weapons  so  efFeetively 
In  K„«ia.ui    .su.  t  turned  the  eurrent  of  feeling  aKainst  the 

But   although   son,e  tra.ts  of  his  singular  eharaeter  wea- 

praiseworthy,  physual  .iisease  a.ul  n.oral  .lefor.nity  united 

.)  v.t.at.-  hjs  nna.rniafon,  and  he  aecjuired  that  iaste  for 

oathsonu.  ..leas  wln.h  deHled  the  workings  of  his  povv..rfu 

but  gloomy  „„„d.     Tlu.  ,no>t  drc.ded   writer  of  his  a!" 

urn"  TV"""'r '"'"T''  ''""  '^'""  ""-nin,perso;;j 
MKMss.  he  |„.Kan  i.y  attaei.n-  partisans,  he  ende.l  with  u 
fo.rfulau,l  depraved  assault  upon  the  hun.an  raee,  "let  in« 
m,,,v  hlaoken  .nto  sava.e  an.i  in.pious  n.isanthk.pv/ '- 
and  the  darkness  wlueh  finally  envelope<l  him  w.;  fore- 
shadowed  ni  his  later  hooks. 
Of  fietion  it  „u,st  sufhV..  to  sa.'-  that  Kiehardson,  Snu.llett 

HRU,   I      I),.f.,,,  and  ,n.rrore,l  in  a  large  an.l  vari,.,!  wav  the 

of  Stule  an,l  A,h  .son :    •' ;  hav,.  hrought,"  sai.l  the  latter, 
p  losophy  out  of  c    .sets  and  h,.raries,  s,.ho,>Is  an.l  colleges 

o   h  dl  in  eluhs  and  asse.nl.lies."     The  elaiin  was  genuine 
and  the  humanity    refi,u.,nent.  hun.or.  an.l   instrueti.,,.  of 

he     Taler   and    tlje    Spectator    were    wi.lely    appreciate.! 
although    hey  ha.l  little  effct  up..n  the  corrupt il.n  an.l  de- 
pravity of  the  per....l.     The  hist.,rians  Ilun.e  an.l    UoI„.rt- 
son  were  largely  .nflu..n.....l  hy  Montes<,uieu  an,i   ^  olta  r^- 
Notwiths  an.hng  that  Hunu-'s  History  was  written  fr.  ni  a 
pre,,,^.|.tan.lp..i..tJtsphilos..phi.M.,nean.lliterar     ^^ 

^  C  n- ""t'  "'•  "'"'V"  '''  ^''''"'^^  ='^  "  trustworthv 
a  count.     Ills      J  r,.atise  ..n  Human  .Vature"  prov,..l  to  l.'e 

th     original   impnlse  of  the  Scottish   philos..phv,   an.l    his 
lohtical  I  is,o„rses;'  p„l.lislu..l    i„    ,7.-,,.   ,;„.;,  ,„^.,.,,  ^, 

r.ite  s^sten^i  ,y  A.hun  .Smith  in  his  "  In,,uirv  int.,  the 
Nature  an.|  Ca.ises  of  the  W.-dth  ..f  Nations.^'  IwZ. 
M>ns     History  ..f  Charh.s  V,"  while  less  .listingiiishe,!  for 


JOHN   WESLEY 


269 


N 


style  than  Hume's  work,  was  more  cart-fiil  as  to  facts.     Ex- 
ten(le<l  coinmeiit  on  (libhon's  "  DicliiK-  and  Fall  of  the  Ilomari 
Empire"  is  superHuous :   tlie  hook  was  siifijrested  to  Iiiin  in 
1704  as  he  wandered  amonj;  the  ruins  of  tlie  Eternal  City  ; 
since  17S7  it  has  heen  one  of  the  few  works  that  all  educated 
men  and  women  liave  felt  ohiiged  to  read,  and  "still  remains 
unique  for  its  supreme  and  almost  epic  power  of  mouhling 
into  a  lucid  array  a  bewildering  multitude  of  details."     Bos- 
well's  life  of  Dr.  Jo;   ison,  which  is  perhaps  the  best  biography 
in  the  language,  i)ortrays  with  exactitude  and  life-like  detail 
the  most  impressi\ c  liti-rary  character  of  the  century.     .John- 
son's moral  dignity  and  indeijcndence  of  spirit,  so  intrepidly 
shown    in    his   fight   against   jjoverty  and    patronage,  was 
a  patch  of  blue  in  leaden  skies,  and  gave  him  a  monarchical 
influence  over  his  contemporaries.     Always  true  to  himself, 
he  was  nu)re  afraid  of  his  conscience  than  of  the  world's 
judgment.     R.  II.  Ilutton  has  justly  said,  "  He  towers  above 
our  generation   because  he  had  the  courage  to  be  what  so 
few  of  us  are—  proudly  independent  of  the  opinion  in  the 
midst  of  which  he  lived."     From  the  society  by  which  he 
was  surrounded,  a  society  false  tn  (Hod  and  false  to  man,  the 
observer  turns  with  relief  to  this  paladin  of  letters,  with  the 
tea-slopped  vest,  fuzzy  wig,  and  shabby  coat,  who  walked 
with  elephantine  motions  down  Fleet  Street  to  his  lodging 
or  favorite  tavern,  nnittering  to  hhnself  and  hitting  the  way- 
side posts  with  his  cudgel.     Ilis  unswerving  loyalty  to  duty, 
which  presented  itself  to  him  in  the  form  of  certain  definite 
principles,  was  based,  not  only  u|)on  the  general  i)ractice  of 
the  best  of  mankind,  but  also  upim  the  Divine  Law  as  laid 
down  in  Scripture.     His  "  Lives  of  the  Poets"  and  the  "  Dic- 
tionary" attest  his  critical  gifts  and  his  industry  as  a  scholar. 
His  table  talk,  as  recorded  by  the  devoted  Hoswell,  covered 
a  host  of  convictions,  prejudices,  axioms,  and  criticisms  on 
men    and    events,    alike    expressed    in    vigorous    and    un- 
mistakable speech.     It  has  become  an  inseparable  part  of 
literature,  and  is  in  itself  a  memorial  of  his  tremendous  and 


': 


h 


II 


270      TUHKK    kKLIOlOUS   l,HADEIiS   OF   OXFORD 

virtuous  p<>rsonality.     An  evoniuj,'  spent  with  Johnson  and 
his  chosen  friends  was  an  intrtKhution  to  tlie  irnier  circle 
of  the  most  gifted  and  creative  men  of  the  EriKhsh-speakiriR 
world  :    even  \Vesle\    sueeumhed  to  tlie  attractions  of  the 
Literary   ("luh,  and   paused   in   his  .-ndless  labors  that   he 
niij;ht  enjoy  a  chat  with  the  oracle  of  the  "Cheshire  Cheese." 
The  pericMl  may  hi-  likened  to  a  low-lying  and  arid  plain 
from  which  ever  and  anon  arose  towering  mountain  peaks. 
Swift,  (Jihhon,  Chatham,  lUirke,  Johnson,  and  Wesley  were 
great  in  the  largest  sense  of  that  overworke<l  term,  and  be- 
low their  height  was  no  <learth  of  first-class  talent.     Yet  the 
gracious  and  elevating  elements  which  make  Christian  society 
and  conversation  were  lacking,  and  one  has  but  to  compare 
such  a  cleric  as  Swift  with  the  Founder  of  Methodism  to 
l>erceive    the    gulf    which    separated    them.     Wesley's    life 
spanned  the  century ;    and  he  was  more  familiar  with  the 
England  of  his  time  than  any  other  man  in  it.     Born   in 
the  reign   of   Queen  Anne   and    .lying  in   that   of   George 
III,  he  saw  in  his  old   age,  and   regretttHl,  the  separation 
of  the  American  colonies  from  the  historical  development 
of   English-speaking    men;    and   heard  the  news  that  the 
Parisians  ha<l  guillotined  Louis  XVI.     Tiie  first  entry  made 
in  his^Joumal  was  «lated  October  14,  17:5.-),  the  last.  October 
24,   171)0;    during  the  interval  his  country's  religious  and 
social  phenomena  were  perhaps  as  fully  recorded  there  as 
m  any  contemporary  \olume.     Written  large  in  its  pages  is 
the  evidence  of  the  moral  and  si)iritual  obtuseness  of  the 
people    and    the    apathy    of    the    educated    and    clerical 
elasses;    dead   weights  of  stupidity  and    indifference  with 
which  he  had  to  deal.     Xo  explanation  of  the  Evangelical 
Revival  can   be  complete  unless  tiiese  a<lverse  conditions 
are  tiiken  into  accoimt ;   no  just  estimate  of  the  greatness  of 
Wesley  is  possible  without  an  ai)i)reciation  of  the  obstacles 
he  surmounted. 

The  otherwise  disastrous  days   of  the  Stuarts  had   wit- 
nessed a  steadily  increasing  commercial  prosperity,  which, 


JOHN   WESLEY 


271 


4 

! 


although  interrupted  by  the  French  Wars,  speedily  revived 
after  the  peace  of  Utrecht  in  171H.  The  value  of  exports 
reached  their  lowest  point  in  170."),  when  it  fell  to  about 
twenty-six  million  dollars ;  ten  years  later  it  was  nearly 
forty  millions.  In  the  course  of  the  eifjhteenth  century  ex- 
tensive changes  took  place  in  agriculture,  which  was  for 
a  long  time  to  come  the  leading  industry.  I'ntil  the  reign 
of  the  second  (Icorge,  methods  of  lilling  the  soil  were  ex- 
tremely primitive,  more  than  half  the  cultivated  land 
being  divided  and  worked  on  the  old  open-field  system. 
The  credit  for  eiVecting  an  improvement  was  due  to 
Jethro  Hill  and  to  George  the  First's  Secretary  of  State, 
Lord  Townshend,  who  also  intrtMluced  the  turnip  root  into 
England,  thereby  earning  for  himself  the  nickname  of 
"Turnip  Townshend."  The  increased  productiveness  of 
the  soil,  which  was  at  least  fourfold  tiiat  of  Wydiffe's  age, 
aided  the  growth  of  poj)ulation  and  manufactures.  Sta- 
tistics are  scanty  and  faulty,  but  it  is  generally  assumed  that 
the  population  of  England  at  the  close  of  Elizabeth's  reign 
did  not  excei-il  two  and  a  half  millions.  By  the  time  of 
James  II,  Macaulay  estimated  that  it  had  reached  five  or  five 
and  a  half  millions.  In  the  eighteenth  century  there  was  a 
large  increase,  and  Professor  Thorold  Rogers  concludes  that 
in  1772  England  contained  about  eight  million  inhabitants.' 
The  people  enriched  the  waste  land  and  drained  the  marshes. 
The  commons  were  enclosed  and  cultivati'd  in  order  to  supply 
the  towns  with  focMlstuifs.  In  this  development,  however,  the 
yeomanry  were  sacrificed  ;  men  of  slender  means  could  not 
afford  to  purchase  their  holdings  at  the  enormously  advanced 
prices,  and  for  the  same  reason  small  ownvrs  were  induced 
to  sell.  These  classes  either  moved  into  the  towns  and 
cities,  or  became  tenants  and  laborers  on  i)r()i)rietary  estates. 
The  group  of  intellectuals,  with  its  salons,  its  lilV  of  cultured 
ease,  of  epigram,  and  sententious  wisd.  in,  was  apparently 
as  unaware  of  the>e  changes  as  were  the  coteries  of  fashion 
•  ".Six  Centuries  of  Work  aud  Wages" ;  p.  477. 


I 


'1    f 


(i,!i 


272      THRKK    UKLKIIOUS    LKADKHS  OF   OXFOHD 


>■:) 


<!    ^ 


and  of  politics.  At  tht-  very  inoiiu.iit  wiu-ii  Kiij,'Iaii(l  boasted 
that  slif  liad  won  half  the  world  and  controlled  the  other 
half,  the  once  contented  workers  of  the  eountrvside  were 
being  robbed  (.f  their  farmsteads,  their  ancient  rights, 
their  econonnC  freedom,  and  reduced  to  the  most  forlorn 
condition  of  all  Hriti.-li  toilers. 

Manufacturing  enterprises  were  also  revolutionized  during 
this  period.  Cotton  was  scarcely  known  in  England  before 
the  eighteenth  century,  and  when  it  appeared  legislation 
was  u.selessly  enacted  to  prevent  its  com{)etition  with  the 
time-hoiK.rcl  trade  in  woolen  goods.  But  the  mo.st  marked 
improvement  resulted  from  the  invention  of  machinery. 
Newcomen  applied  steam  power  to  niainifactures  in  1712, 
and  James  Watt  constructed  his  first  steam  engine  in 
17a-,.  Kay's  flying  shuttle.  Ilargreaves'  spinning  jennv, 
Arkwright's  sjHnning  frame,  Compton's  mule-jenny.  Cart- 
wright's  power  loom,  and  similar  inventions  gave  Britain 
her  preeminence  in  textile  fabrics.  The  basic  industries, 
however,  were  coal  mining  and  iron  smelting,  in  which,  until 
the  latter  half  of  the  mneteenth  century.  Great  Britain  en- 
joyed practically  a  moiioi)o|y. 

These  imjiortant  operations,  with  others  which  naturally 
resulted  from  them,  changed  the  face  of  the  countr\ .  Some 
neighborhoods  lost  their  wild,  shaggy  appearance,'  and  be- 
gan to  assume  the  pastoral  aspects  which  are  their  present 
charm.  Others  were  disfigured  by  unsightly  banks  of  shale 
and  refuse  from  the  mines,  while  the  smoking  chimneys 
of  factories  and  mills  polluted  the  atmosphere.  Life  "in 
such  localities  was  neither  so  wholesome  nor  so  happy  as 
when  it  had  been  spent  on  the  heath  and  the  upland,  f^'ities 
an.l  trade  grew  at  the  expense  of  flesh  and  blood ;  em- 
ployers were  heedless  of  the  physical  and  moral  well-being 
of  their  workmen.  At  the  worst  the  unsanitary  cottages  of 
rustic  hamli'ts  were  surroimded  by  fields  and  forests  where 
the  peasants  could  breathe  pure  air ;  now  they  were  huddled 
together  without  regard  for  health  and  decencv.    The  ugly 


JOHN   WKSLKY 


273 


i 


stories  of  vice  and  crime  already  touched  upon  were  sequences 
of  these  abuses.  As  soon  as  it  was  di^'ONtTed  that  child 
labor  was  profitable,  the  jireedy  clutch  of  cajjital  seized  the 
little  ones  whom  i)arciits  or  {guardians  surrcnderi'd  at  a  ten- 
der ajje  to  prolonjjed  hours  of  dreary  and  danpToiis  toil. 
Enervated  hordes,  ill-fe<l,  ill-clothed,  witliont  education  or 
religion,  swarmed  in  munici|)aliti»'s  wiiicli  supplanted  the 
cathedral  towns  in  commercial  importance.  Kdinl)urf;h, 
(JIaspow,  Xewcastic,  Leeds,  IJradfonl,  Slicflicid,  Liverpool, 
Manchester,  and  IJirminjjham  became  the  centers  of  tln" 
nation,  and  diverted  the  volume  of  trade  to  the  northern 
provinces. 

The  dense  ignorance  then  i)revalent  contributed  to  the 
evils  attendant  upon  industrialism  and  the  congestion  of 
manufacturing  towns.  It  also  proin])ted  ()nc  of  the  educa- 
tional movements  that  stand  to  the  credit  of  .\nglicanism. 
In  1('>09  Doctor  Hray  founded  the  Society  for  IVoinoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  which  in  turn  established  lunner- 
ous  schools,  especially  in  the  larger  cities.  Thirty  years 
later  Griffith  Jones  organized  in  Wales  a  >tail'  of  school- 
masters who  traveled  throughout  the  l'riiici])ality  and  taught 
adults  to  read  the  Bible.  In  177.')  the  Kingdom  could  muster 
only  llO.'i  schools  with  2(),!)L'()  pupiN.  The  emergency  was 
so  grave  that  in  17S2,  Hobert  Haikc>  estal)lished  his  first 
Sunday  School  at  Gloucester.  The  idea  diil  not  originate 
with  Raikes:  Wesley  held  Sunday  classes  for  children 
in  Savannah  during  17;i7;  Theophilus  Lindscy  at  ("atterick 
in  Yorkshire  in  17(19;  Hannah  Ball  at  High  Wycombe  in 
the  same  year;  and  Jenkin  Morgan  near  Llandiloes  in  1770. 
These  schools  combined  secular  with  sacred  instruction  well 
on  into  the  ne.vt  century.  Such  i)rovisions  were  of  course 
inadequate:  there  wa-  no  naiional  educational  p(>licy  until 
many  years  afterwanis,  and  Wesley's  reit'  ted  insistence 
upon  knowledge  as  well  as  piety  was  due  he  fact  that 

in  addition  to  folly  and  \ice  he  was  confn  .ited  at  every 
turn  by  illiteracy  and  superstition. 

T 


V\.. 


\  i 


274     TUUEE   UELIGIOUS  LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 


n 

The  predominant  feature  of  English  religious  thought  in 
the  eighteenth  century  was  its  universal  accei)tanee  of  rea- 
son as  the  eriterion  <.f  truth.     It  might  l.e  strenuouslv  con- 
tended hy  opposn.g  schools  that  a  given  doctrine  or  Miracle 
was  or  was  not  agreeahle  to  reason,  hut  that  the  issue  was 
to  be  deci.le<l   hy  reason   was  never  questioned  bv  either 
party  to  the  dis,)ute.     The  words  of  Bishop  G-bson  in  his 
second  Pasf.ral  Ix-tter.  17;{(),  indicate  the  position  occupied 
m  common  by  all  theologians  of  the  peri(.d :    "It  is  univer- 
sally  acknowledged  that  revelation  itself  is  to  stand  or  fall 
by  the  test  of  reason."     To  the  same  effect  wrote  Tillotson 
Butler,    Rogers.    Foster,    Warburton,    an.l    other    divines! 
Ihey    were    agreed    upon    and    taught    the    doctrines    of 
Locke,  the  father  of   English   Rationalism,   that  "Reason 
is  natural  re\elation,  whereby  the  eternal  Father  of  light 
and  fountain  of  all  Knowledge,  c-ommunicates  to  mankind' 
that  portion  of  truth  which  he  has  laid  within  the  reach  of 
their  natural  faculties.     Revelation   is   natural   reason  en- 
larged by  a  new  set  of  discoNcries  communicated  by  God 
immediately,  which  reason  vouches  the  truth  of  bv  the  testi- 
mony and  proof  it  gixes  that  they  come  from  Goc'l.     So  that 
he  that  takes  away  reason  to  make  wav  for  revelation   puts 
out  the  light  of  both;   and  does  much  the  same  as' if  he 
would  persuade  a  man  to  put  out  his  e\es,  the  better  to 
receive  the  reinot(>  light  of  an  iin  isible  star  bv  a  telescope  "  » 
This  thc.ry,  which  Dr.  Loofs  calls  " rational  supra-natural- 
ism,    deduced  religious  belief  from  an  intellectual  process 
-just  the    reverse   of    its    actual    history.     Primarilv    all 
dynamic    religions    belief    issues    out    of    religious    cxpe-ri- 
ence,  and  the  necessity  of  coordinating  that  experience  with 
other   contents    of    one's    mental  world    arises    later.     In 
other  words,  religious  experience  is  the  raw  material  of  vital 

'  "  Essay  "  ;   Book  IV,  rh.  19,  sec.  4. 


t  ;; 


IH  ., 


i  1 


JOn\    WESLEY 


275 


theologj':  "men  spake  from  Gtxl  Ix'ing  moved  l)y  the  Holy 
Ghoat." 

The  praiseworthy  purpose  which  inspired  the  attempt 
of  moralists  and  thinkers  to  rationalize  rcliKion  was  two- 
fold. First,  they  sought  to  check  the  growing  immorality 
by  preserving  in  dialectical  form  the  principles  of  ethical 
and  religious  conduct.  The  i)rol)leni  being  one  of  moral 
depravity  rather  than  of  theological  heresy,  they  labored 
less  in  the  interests  of  dogma  than  in  those  of  virtue.  Hence 
their  theme  was  a  prudential  ethic,  cogently  enforced  by 
Scriptural  warrants  of  final  rewards  and  punishments.  While 
this  rationalized  morality  of  consequences  held  the  field, 
dogmatic  theology  died  out,excei)t  with  a  few  obscure  writers, 
and  1  was  not  long  before  Christianity,  as  Mark  Pattison  ob- 
serves, appeared  made  for  nothing  else  but  to  be  proved. 
Reason,  first  heralded  as  the  basis  of  faith,  gradually  became 
its  substitute.  The  mind  was  too  busy  examining  and  testing 
the  evidences  of  Christianity  to  appropriate  its  life  and  power. 
The  only  quality  in  Scripture  dwelt  ujjon  was  its  credibil- 
ity. Dr.  Johnson  denounced  the  process  as  "Old  Hailey 
theology,"  in  which  "the  ajiostles  were  being  tried  once  a 
week  for  the  cajjital  crime  of  forgery."  It  would  not  be 
just,  however,  to  accept  as  true  this  midiscriniinating  criti- 
cism, for  the  religious  thought  of  the  rationalizing  age  had 
varying  degrees  of  merit  and  fell  within  two  distinct  periods. 
In  the  earlier,  the  endeavor  was  to  demonstrate  the  com- 
patibility of  Biblical  revelation  with  reason  ;  in  the  later, 
which  dates  from  about  17.')()  onwards  and  is  mainly  repre- 
sented by  the  schools  of  Paley  and  Whately,  attention  was 
confined  to  the  geiuiineness  and  autlienti'iiy  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. Neither,  of  course,  was  religious  instruction  in  the 
real  meaning  of  the  term,  i)ut  the  former  did  in  a  measure 
concern  itself  with  vital  matters  of  revelation,  and  by  so 
much  it  was  superior  to  the  later  evidential  period,  which 
was  incessantly  grinding  out  artificial  proofs  that  proved 
nothing  except  the  unreality  of  the  whole  procedure. 


)\r 


Mil  ! 


^\.ih 


V'  '^  • 


11^ 


I 


27<>    TiiUKK  ki;li(;i()is  i.kadkks  ok  oxkc 


)IM) 


A  mc.ikI  caiiM'  lurtlic  r,itiniMlizi„K  |>rn(<-ss\vii,sattril.iital)lf 
t<.  Its  confli.t  with  the  .l.-ists,  wli..,  ca.tinK  iisi.l,.  tlu-  fetters  of 
prfsonptiv.-  rijrhts.  positisr  ,-,mI(.s,  an.l  scholastic  svsterns 
set  thernseKvs  to  follow  .-.vlusiNrly  the  jijrht  of  nature' 
llK.Mias  IIol,l,es,  more  ra.lical  thai.  Sir  J-raneis  Haeon, 
prematurely  conceived  a  univ.-rsil  construction  of  knowledge' 
winch  would  include  society  and  man  within  its  verifiable 
explanations.  Mis  daring;  inquiries  were  remarkahle  for 
what  they  suj;,rcsted  rather  than  f..r  what  th<>v  aeeoin- 
phshe.1,  and  their  influenc.-  can  be  traeed  in  uianv 
d.re.tions.  .Mi.lway  between  Bacon  and  Locke,  and  in 
••'..itact  with  each  only  at  a  sinj;le  point.  Ho!)bes  j;ave  a 
dfcided  impulse  to  the  ethical  speculation  which  has  since 
been  earned  on  by  his  countrymen, and  his  skepticism  evoked 
those  intellectual  tendeneies  wInVh  weakened  authority  and 
established  the  supremacy  of  reason. 

The  inductive  method,  as  taught  l)y  IJaeon.  and  adopted 
by  the   n..yal   .Society,  the  s.-nior  association   for  scientific 
research  m  the  kingdom.  uMined  asccndeiicv  over  the  al)lest 
nunds  amonj;  the  cler^ry.     The  six  folios  of  StilliuRfleet.  who 
died  Hishop  of  \\orcester  in  ItiiHI.  mark  the  transition  from 
the  contention  with  Koine  to  the  declarati(.n  ,.f  war  against 
Locke.     The  deistic  coiitroxcrsy  rafred  during  the  first  four 
decades  of  the  century,  and   then  gradually  sul)sided.      Hy 
the  time  of  Molin};brok.-\s  death  in  I7.-,I  interest  in  the  ques- 
tion was  practically  at  an  en.l.     His  executor.  Mallet    pul>- 
hsl.cd    Ins   works    thr..-    years   later,    but    there   was    verv 
httle  demand    for  them.      According;  to    Hoswell,  Johnsoii 
voiced    the    sentiments    of    well-principled    men  when    he 
sai.l  concerniiii;  I5olin^d,roke.  -.Sir,  he  was  a  scoun.lrel.  and 
a  coward:    a  s.oimdrel  for  charf;inj,'  a    l)lunderbuss  against 
reh^rion    and    morality;    a    coward,    becaiis.-    he   had    not 
resolution  to  lire  it  olf  himself,  but  left  half  a  crown  to  a 
bejrpirly  Scotchman  to  draw  the  tri.irirer  after  his  death." 
Tile  controversy  was  l)y  no  means  the  mere  emptv  sound 
and  folly  of  words  wliicli  some  iiave  supp(»sed  ;   on  the  con- 


.KUIN    VVKSLKY 


trnry,  the  ohjcctions  wliicli  occasioiuil  it  were  acutt-ly 
felt  hy  many  who,  tli(iii>;li  not  aluays  f(jual  to  sustainol 
thinking,  wm-  <lfti'nniiu(l  not  to  Ih-  iniposcil  upon  hy  itn- 
suhstantiati'il  (lopna,  wliatcvcr  name  it  nii),'iit  a>-'UiMf. 
As  tlic  (li^putf  (ifvclopcd,  tlif  siilJicicncy  of  natural  rclijjion 
iMTaini'  its  pi\(>tal  issue.  Tin-  ileitis  (((ntrniK-d  that  tlio 
inlnTfiit  law  of  rij;lit  and  duty  was  sudicicnt,  and  so  al)so- 
luti-ly  pt-rffct  that  (Jod  HiniMlf  could  add  nothiii;;  to  it. 
On  thf  otIuT  hand,  An^jlican  doctors  niaintaiiu'd  that  nat- 
ural ri'lijiion  rciiuircil  to  he  supplemented  l)y  a  supernat- 
ural revelation,  and  that  neither  excluded  or  was  contrary 
to  the  other;  indeeil,  l>otli  were  esM-ntial,  the  former 
as  tile  foundation,  the  latter  as  tin-  superstructure,  of  the 
Temple  of  Truth.  A<conlin;:ly,  witii  all  the  inj;enuity  and 
erudition  at  their  dis|)o>aI,  the\  >trove  to  demonstrate  the 
mutual  harmony  of  natural  and  revealed  reli;;ion.  Chris- 
tianity was  i)laeed  on  a  philosophical  l)asi>,  and  its  claims 
recon<iled,  ostensihly  at  an\'  rate,  with  those  alfirmations 
of  tlie  rational  conseiousne»  that  were  unanimously  ac- 
cepted. Their  theolo>;y  and  i)hilosophy  were  Idended 
in  an  effort  of  the  intillect  to  heeome  liheralized,  com- 
prehensive, even  latitudinarian.  They  wrou;;lit  in  the 
helief  that  their  doctrines  could  he  demonstrated  as  heinjj 
not  only  products  of  re\flation,  hut  also  a  hody  of  necessary 
truths,  and  apparently  they  were  iniaware  that  such  };ener- 
alizations  do  nctt  seriously  alVect  the  majority,  who  yield  to 
sentiment  rather  than  to  reaxm. 

The  willingness  of  the  l''nj;lisli  theologians  to  listen  to  the 
case  for  deism,  and  to  meet  it  with  the  legitimate  weap- 
ons of  arji;ument,  stands  in  fa\(»rahle  contrast  to  the  oh- 
scurantisi:  .ittitude  of  Hossiiet  and  hi>  fellow  ecclesiastics 
of  the  French  ("hurch,  who  were  itni)la(ahle  aj:aiii.>t  even  the 
shadow  of  douht,  ami  strenuou>l,\  asserted  the  authority  of 
the  Church,  as  expressed  hy  Councils  and  l'ni)es  in  their 
definitive  aKreiinent,  in  matters  of  faith  and  doctrine.  The 
questions    which    were    answered    in    Kiif^lanil    receivetl    no 


\\ 


^'i.. 


m 


i 


(i       .i 


278     THREE   IlELiniOUS   I.KADEHS  OF  OXFORD 

siifKcient  rrply  in  FraiKr.  wIi.tc  attempts  math  to  sup- 
J)rts,s  iiiilHli.f  MTv.'d  t(i  pn.pii^Mti'  it,  thus  (lijfiiifyiiiK  those 
httcnxloxits  whirh  ciihiiiiiatnl  in  th»'  works  of  the  Kn- 
(■\(iopf.lists.  This  rcsi.rt  to  force  instead  of  argument  in 
(leahiiK  with  o|.|)onents  was  typical  of  the  methods  of  the 
(Jalhcan  Chun  h  in  that  age,  and  resulted  in  the  culumities 
which  have  since  hefallen  her. 

The  Anjriican  orthodox  party  had  every  advantage  that 
tah-nt,  learning,  and  prestige  couM  bestow,  while  the  deists, 
although    they  included    Lord    Herbert  of   Cherhury,  the 
originator  of  the  sect.  Matthew  Tindal,  William  Wollaston, 
John  T(.land,  the  Karl  of  Shaftesbury,  Lord  Bolingl)roke, 
AnthcMiy    Collins,   Thomas    Chubb,  and    Henry    Dodwell, 
presented    a    marked    disparity    of    resources. '  Sir    Ix'slie 
Stephen  refers  to  their  volumes  as  "shal)by  and  shrivelled 
little  octavos,  generally  anonymous,   such  as  lurk  in  the 
corners  of  <lust\-  shelves,  and  seem  to  be  the  |)redestined  prey 
of  moths."     Against  them  were  arrayed  Bentley,  the  fore- 
most critic  of  the  period;    Locke,  its  greatest  philosopher; 
Herkeley  and  Clarke,  keenest  of  disinitants;   Watecland,  a 
.scholar  of  wide  range ;  and  Hutler,  distinguished  far  above  the 
rest  by  a  largeness  of  outlook  and  a  moral  considerateness 
»!itruse(l  over  all  his  work  —  a  series  of  formidable  apologists 
l)ent  on  the  destruction  of  deism.     For  them  fought  others, 
who  stood  witlu.ut  the  Establishment,  such  as  Leslie  and 
Law  among  Xon-Jurors,  and  Lardner,  Foster,  and  Doddridge 
among  Dissenters.     They  had  little  difficulty  in  finding  the 
vulnerabh'  points  of  their  a.lversaries,  for  whom  the  ordi- 
nary feeling  was  "a  combination  of  the  odium  theologicura 
with  the  contempt  of  the  finished  scholar  for  the  mere  dab- 
bler in  letters.  .  .  .     They  are  l)ut  a  ragged  regiment,  whose 
whole  ammunition  of  learning  was  a  trifle  when  compared 
with  the  abundant  stores  of  a  single  light  of  orthodoxy; 
whilst  in  speculative  ability  most  of  them  were  children  by 
the  side  of  their  ablest  antagonists.     Swift's  sweeping  asser- 
tion, that  their  literary  power  would  hardly  have  attracted 


JOHN  WESLEY 


279 


attention  if  employed  upon  any  other  topic,  seems  to  be 
generally  justified."  ' 

Yet  surli  excelk'nci.'  is  sornetini«'s  lis  own  dfterreiit,  and 
so  it  proved  in  this  iiistaiicf.  'riii-  people  at  larp*  were 
untouched  by  the  discussion;  the  Cluirch  sulVcred  because 
her  altar  fires  burnt  low  ;  placid  insistence  upon  the  exter- 
nals of  faith  rather  than  upon  its  inward  reality  worked  havoc 
among  the  cler>;y,  wliose  activities  were  directed  toward 
unprofitable  ami  lifeless  discourses  wliich  expounded  a  creed 
divested  of  all  resemblance  to  New  'restaiueiit  Christianity, 
except  for  n  tacit  acknowled>;ment  of  the  veracity  of  the 
Gospel  narratives  and  a  l)eiief  in  the  dopna  of  the  Trinity. 
The  clarity  and  atmosphere  of  ascertainetl  conviction  were 
lacking  in  the  sermons  they  preached,  (onscious  tiiat  few 
believed  them,  scarcely  believing  what  they  said  themselves. 
The  vapid  rhetoric  of  Hlair  was  deemed  the  ideal  of  homiletic 
art  even  by  those  who  posed  as  arbiters  of  literary  taste 
and  doctrinal  correctness.  \s  the  dispute  became  more 
trivial  and  meaningless,  t'e  ministry  sutfered  a  further 
decline  in  zeal,  influenct  .  integrity.  It  was  one  task, 
assuredly  not  unimportan  to  cop«'  with  the  deists'  pro- 
test against  tradition  and  with  their  misrepresentatic 
of  history;  it  was  another,  and  not  so  easy  a  task,  to 
withstand  their  criticisms  of  Chillingworth's  position  that 
"the  Bible  only  is  the  religion  of  rrotest.i.its" ;  and  the 
most  difficult  of  all,  to  quicken  the  religious  instincts  of  the 
nation,  which  had  been  allowed  to  remain  dormant  lest 
they  should  prove  troublesome.  For  if  the  deists  failed  in 
their  leading  design  to  assert  the  sufficiency  of  natural  reli- 
gion, and  their  cult  became  a  reproach  even  amongst  those 
who  were  in  no  wise  defenders  of  orthodoxy,  the  Anglicans 
and  their  allies  made  the  unhappy  mistake  of  occupying 
only  the  outworks  of  faith,  while  its  citadel,  which  is  the 
personal  experience  of  the  jwwer  of  revealed  truth,  was  de- 

>Sir  Leslie  Stepheu;    "English  TIioukIU  in  the  Kinhteenth  Century"; 
Vol.  I.  p.  87. 


';i! 


^■1 


III 


2Sn      TIIUKK    KKMdlOrs    I.KADKHS  OK   OXFOHr) 

smi-.!.     Tin,  ,„H,r  stratr^y  Irft  tli.-m  with  littl*.  more  thnn 
thi-  (r.r<l  of  tl.nr  ai.hi«..i.i.t>.  al.stra.t  aii.l  urKum.'t.ttttive 
an.l  s,.parati-.|  from  all  that  was  iiulivi.Jual.  ,Kvuliar  an.l 
mtti.s,.      I  hv  >ul.>tai,.  r  of  th.-oloKy  .o.Krrns  «  world  larHv 
»u-voii,|  tlu-  spluTf  ar.r>.il.h.  to  himuu.  rnison.  nn.l  x.h.-n 
:h..,v    propoM.I  to  tn-at  th.ir  iii.ln.tioi.s  as  (•qu..alft.ts  for 
<  hr.sf.a.Mty.  tluy  oNrrlooknl  tlu-  .la.iKcr  that  in  tl.f  process 
thr  iatt.T  mi>;ht  l.c  ilivrstcl  (,f  its  vital  el.im-tits. 
'rh<-  .iiitcom.-  has  Im-i-ii  siic.inctly  summarized  as  follows  • 
I  pon  tlu.  whol...  the  writii.us  ..f  that  FH-riod  are  st-rvice- 
!'f'l»-  to  ns  elm.fly.  as  .howinw  what  .an.  an.l  what  (■UMn<,t. 
oe   (H.-.t.-.l    l.y  ,„mmon-sens,.   thinking   in    th.-..|.,^rv. 
If  tin-   r..|iKi.Mi,   history   .,f   tlu-  eighteenth   eentnrv   proves 
anything  ,t  IS  this:    That  p.o.l  s,.„se.  the   hest  k'hmI   sense 
wlien  It  s..ts  to  w..rk  with  tl...  materials  ..f  hmnun  nature 
nn.l  Nriptnre  to  . ..nstrn.t  a  nlisi-.n,  will  fin.l  its  wuv  t..  an 
othi<-al  .....1...  irn-r.roa.  hal.l.-  in  its  ...ntents.  an.l  hasV.I  .>n  a 
just  estnnate  an.l  wise  ..LMTvatLai  ..f  th.-  fa.ts  ..f  life,  rati- 
he.l  l.y  Divn...  >an,ti..ns  in  tl...  shape  ..f  h..|H.  an.l  fear. 
I  his    the    eiKht.rnth    .ent.iry    .ji,|    an.l    di.l    well.     It    has 
enfonrd  the  truths  .,f  .u.tiiral  m..rality  with  a  s.,|i,litv  of 
«r>;iini.-nt  an.l  variety  ..f  pr.M.f  whi.h  thev  have  not  reeeive.1 
sin.e    the    St..i.al    ,,,..,1,     if    then.     Mnt    then-    its    al.ilitv 
i-n.le.l.     When  it  .aine  t..  th..  supernatural   part  ..f  (^hris- 
tianity  its  emi.arrassnu.nt  I.eK'an.     It  was  for.e.1  to  kiH?p  it 
as  nm.h  in  tlu-  l.a.kKn.iin.l  as  p.,ssil,le.  or  t.>  l..,lster  it  up 
I'.v   lame   an.l    ina.i.-.piate    reasoiiin^rs.     The    philos..phv    of 
<"mni.,n  s,.|,se  had  .Ion,-  its  .,wn  w..rk ;    it  attempte.1  m..re 
only  to  show,  i.y  \u  faihir.-.  that  s„m.-  higher  orp.m.n  wa.s 
nee..".l  t.,r  the  .stal.lidim.-nt  ..f  supernatural  truth  "  ' 

l.iat  .•ommon  mi,,,..  |,y  whi.h  is  nu-ant  the  sen.se  men 
have  in  ..omnion  has  its  pla,-..  in  tlu.oL.^y  an.l  in  religion, 
few  will  .ieny.  M„t  th..  fatal  ,\v\Wt  of  the  (Jeorgian  apolo- 
Kists  lay  „,  th.ir  s.,!e  .lep,.n.h.n.e  upon  it.  Thev  were  also 
to.,  mu.h  .,(  .„„.  kin.l,  ,„..,.  .ast  in   the  same  mol.l.   who, 

'  Mark  l\itti.-so.i ;    •■lJ,>a.vs":    Vol.  II,  pp.  s4-»(i. 


if 


V     * 


.MHIN    WKSI.KV 


2R1 


whili'  n'ji  rMMitiiiK  |Mi-iiti\r  iiihI  i  Mn^rrviitivf  opinion,  wrrv 
unaiiinionsly  ajsrcifl  tlmt  ••motioniilisin  \va^  iim>U'>>s  anil 
liannful.  Mnlioirity  in  all  vUv  mist  wliat  tlu-y  \\v\i\  as 
pru(ti<'al  wisdom  was  tlicir  lialiit  ;  and  tluir  lulirfs,  wliili' 
lia\  iiiR  a  siniilitndf  of  n-asonalilcms^,  wrrr  at  lit-art  narrow 
un<l  in«'HV(tual.  The  inrxoralilr  man  li  of  id(ii>  lia>  d<'- 
privod  tlu'ir  thinking  i«f  its  |MTtiiu  in  >  .  >it  it^  cuiicfntration 
on  tlu-  moral  asjM'cts  of  faith  inaihtrtintly  prrpan-il  tlu- 
way  for  that  reaction  of  the  r«'lit;inn>  t-niotions  aj;ainst  an 
fxclusivt'ly  intflh'ctnal  emphasis  \shi<h  mailc  possihlt-  the 
KvanK«'li<»l   Ut'vival. 

Tlu-  K"'"^  "''  *''<'■''  victory  over  the  dei>t^  were  relatively 
meaner:  after  the  controversy  had  collap>ed.  .ts  ne;;ative 
sifle  dime  to  the  front,  and  to  >u<li  el  left  tiiat  infidelity, 
nnd  still  more  inditfereiice,  was  comrnoniy  avow»'il  in  polite 
circles.  Christianity  was  looked  upon  a>  nien'ly  an  amiahle 
siip«'rstitioii,  which  served  a>  a  de>irai>le  >iife;;nard  of  society, 
and  for  that  reason  should  !>«•  maintaiiietl.  In  the  "Ailver- 
tisement"  to  his  "AnaloK'v"  1{i>hop  Hiitler  says:  "It  is 
come  I  know  m.t  how.  to  he  taken  for  grunted,  l>y  many 
jM'rsons,  that  ChristiiWiity  is  not  -o  much  as  a  suliject  of 
inquiry;  l)Ut  that  it  is,  now  at  length,  discovered  to  he 
fictitious.  .\nd  accordiiiK'ly  *\w\  treat  it  as  if  nothing  re- 
mained Init  to  set  it  up  as  a  priia  ipal  suliject  of  mirih  aati 
ridicule,  as  it  were  hy  way  of  reprisals  for  its  havinj;  so  lonj; 
interrupted  the  pleasures  of  the  world."  And  in  his  charj;e 
to  the  clergy  of  the  di()(c>e  of  Durham,  dclivcrt-d  in  17.")1, 
speaking;  of  the  ^'eneral  decay  of  rcli>;i<"i  '<'  the  nation,  he 
declares  tha*^  the  saddest  feature  of  the  a«e  "is  an  avowed 
scorn  of  religion  in  some  and  a  jjrowin;,'  disregard  of  it  in 
the  generality."  Testimony  of  a  like  kind  is  furnished 
hy  works  of  other  writers.  Hutlcr's  "Three  Sermons  on 
liuman  Nature,"  while  i)nifound  and  illuminating',  them- 
selves reveal  the  chief  defects  of  the  moral  jihilosojihy  he 
expounded.  Kven  the  "  Analoj,'.v"  confined  itself  to  tlie  pro- 
vincial issues  of  the  day,  In-ing  in  this  respe  '  greatly  inferior 


r 


ri:l 


»■!■ 


IT 


',    i. 


li 


i 


282 


THRKK    RKLKJIOUS    LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 


o  Pascal  s     P.nsees.     which  was  concerned  with  specula- 
t.ons  upon  the  h.^ht-r  and  more  universal  reason.     But  its 
Hucf  weakness  n.nsiste.'  in  reducing  religion  to  a  Probabil- 
isni  unable  to  control  human  nature  in  behalf  of  spiritual 
development.     Xor  could   Butler's  style  do  justice  i.  the 
native  force  o    h>s  metaphysic:    "so  far  from  having  the 
pleasures  of  eloquence,   it   had   not   e^en   the  comfort  of 
perspicuity.       The  absence  of  any  freedom  for  flight  into 
the  upper  regions  of  revelation  prompted  Tholuck's  criti- 
cism :     we  wearr  of  a  long  journey  on  foot,  especially  through 
'leep  sand.        I  hat  is  it  in  a  word:    the  theology  of  the 
eigiiteenth  {cntury  had  no  wings. 

The  stu.iied  moderation  of  Butle-'s  argument  was  adopted 
l>y  the  clergy,  aiul  literature  likewise  felt  the  detriment  of 
submission  to  an    undue   subjectivism.     The   marked   dif- 
ference between  the  poetry  of  Dry.len  and  that  of  Pope   or 
the  ,,rose  of  Swift  and  that  of  Ad.lisen,  was  analogous  to  the 
contrast   between   the   pulpit  orators   of  the  periods  they 
severally    rcprcsentcl.      The    persistent    needs   of    human 
nature  found  no  n-lief    in  the  presentation  of    an    atten- 
uate,! (.ospcl  powerless  to  make  new  conquests,  or  appea.se 
the   spiritual   hunger  of    men,  or   kindle   that   enthusiasm 
which  was  the  bugbear  of  the  period.      Not  content  with 
.separating  themselves  from  the  slightest  suspicion   of  this 
oHense,  the  clergy  were  equally  eager  to  protect  the  good 
name  of  the  apostles  from  its  defilement.     The  substitu- 
tion ot  an  ethical  f,.r  a  spiritual  basis  of  religion  en.led,  as  it 
must  always  en.l.  in  languor  and  humiliation;  for  religion 
IS  devitaiize.1  the  monu'iit  it  is  lowered  to  the  position  of 
a  mere  purxeyor  of   motive  to   morality.     Accommodated 
beliefs  and  articles  were  reiterated  and  argued  until   they 
DecanR.  obscure,  justifying  the  satirical  remark  of  Collins 
that  nobody  .loubted  the  existence  of  Deity  until  the  Boyle 
lectures  had  undertaken  to  prove  it. 

The  >eri..iisness  of  the  problem  was  aggravated  bv  the  gen- 
eral social  .legeneracy,  though  this  eventually  furnished  some 


H 


JOHN   WESLEY 


283 


means  for  its  solution.  The  seething,  festering  masses  of 
unleavened  humanity  had  no  native  aversion  to  goodness ; 
indeed  at  bottom  they  were  incurably  religious,  and  when  the 
surfeit  of  s  began  to  be  felt  they  cra^  1  a  purer  life.  But 
skepticism  had  nothing  to  olfer  them,  and  the  ministry  was 
little  better  off:  that  wliicii  it  did  offer  was  not  bread,  and 
the  paroeliial  system  throughout  Enghind  was  ossified.  The 
energy  of  the  clergy  was  further  dissipated  by  internal  strife 
and  by  quarrels  with  rival  sects,  socially  obscure  but  safe- 
guarded in  their  freedom  by  tlie  .\ct  of  Toleration.  Chief 
among  the  controversies  within  the  ("hurch  were  the  non- 
juror schism  and  the  dispute  over  the  doctrine  of  "divine 
right."  '  During  the  reigns  of  the  first  two  (Jeorges,  these 
causes  of  di.ssension,  togetiicr  with  tlie  system  of  political 
appointments  to  the  episcopacy,  seriously  impaired  the 
harmony  and  lowered  the  doctrinal  standards  and  religious 
ideals  of  the  Establishment. 

Any  indictment  of  the  clergy  must  be  qualified  by  the  fact 
that  thousands  of  livings  were  without  parsonages  and  their 
incomes  utterly  insufficient  for  the  maintenance  of  the  self- 
respect,  let  alone  the  comfort,  of  the  incumbents.  Hishop 
Burnet  states  in  his  History  that  after  Queen  Aime's  Bounty 
had  somewhat  mitigated  the  poverty  of  the  lesser  clergy,  there 
were  still  hundreds  of  curacies  with  an  income  of  less  than 
twenty  pounds,  and  thousands  with  less  than  fifty  pounds. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  non-residence  became  the  rule  or 
that  Church  fabrics  fell  into  decay.  On  the  other  hand,  it 
can  be  charged  against  bishops  and  deans  that  they  made 
fortunes,  and  used  their  extensive  patronage  for  pri\  ate 
purposes.  The  gulf  between  the  rich  and  the  poor  clerics 
was  broad  and  deep ;  indeed,  the  rich  frequently  plundered 
the  Church  while  the  poor  suffered  the  consequences.     The 


'  This  doctrine  was  the  one  upon  which  the  .\nglican  Church  was  ttRreed 
and  which  it  emphasized.  It  owed  its  oricin  to  the  n:itionuli-ni  whicli  pro- 
vailed  at  the  Reformation,  and  was  intended  to  olTpct  the  papal  claim  to 
supremacy. 


r      J    ■ 

■  :i 


it  . 
h  I' 


1 


Hi 


I.M- 


I;    '•   f, 


284      TIIUKK    HKLKilOUS   LKADKllH   OF   OXFORD 

chosen  few  wlio  moved  in  tlie  np[)er  ranks  of  soeietv  reservwl 
their  attention  for  the  afflnent,  and  the  dull  round  of  parish 
duty  was  left  to  their  suhordinates. 

Indok-nt  and  worldly  ministers  were  found  within  and 
without  the  Kstahlishinent,  more  anxious  to  be  deemed 
respectable  and  rational  than  to  become  effective  servants 
of  the  (lospel  to  their  parishioners.  Kven  the  zeal  of  the 
more  excellent  was  t.-inpereil  by  their  indnl-ence  in  mate- 
rial pleasures,  which  I)od,lridf;e  attempted  to  justifv  because 
of  the  benefit  to  trade.  Vet  care  must  be  taken  not  to  make 
thecon.lemnation  toosweepin>r.  Thesacred  memories  of  such 
shepherds  of  the  flock  as  IMshop  Lancelot  Andrewes,  the 
judicious  Hooker,  C.eor-e  Herbert  of  Hemerton,  Bishop  Wil- 
son, Isaac  Watts,  and  Nathaniel  Lardm-r  wen  treasured  in 
reitories  and  manses  throuj;hout  the  land.  remains  true, 

however,  after  all  extenuations  and  exceptions,  that  spiritual' 
as  well  as  material  destitution  marked  the  ministrv  at  larf;e 
Ihe   parson,    with    fraye.l    cassock   and    see.lv   appearance 
was  too  often  the  li.kspitth-  of  the  local  magnate,  content 
to  purchase  favor  by  en<lurin«  his  insults  and  obscenities. 
His  education  and  maiiiicrs  in  most  instances  were  m,  more 
than  mifiht  b(>  expe.ted  in  an  a^e  so  sordid  that  it  cut  off 
the  supplies  nwessary  for  trained  spiritual  overseers.     Some 
of  these  elerjrymen  lived  pxlly  and  useful  lives,  and  manv 
other>  mijiht  have  done  so  had  they  not  been  reduced  to  prac- 
tical vagalx.nda^rt..     Hired  to  rea.l  prayers  in  the  houses  of 
the  jireat  at  ten  shillings  a  month,  or  appointed  as  private 
chaplain  to  some  noble  family  \x  here  the  master  treated  him 
as  a  menial  and  the  servants  despised  him  as  a  parasite,  the 
«;I|Tic  without  a  benefice  was  jibed  at  as  a  "mess-John."  a 
U'vite,    and  a  "trencherman";    placed  below  the  s>.lt  at 
table,  compelled  to  listen  with   feiKi.e.l  or  real  enjovment 
to  many  a  bibulous  j.-st,  and  dismissed  when  the  pastries 
appeared.     SonatiMics  he  was  married  off  to  a  woman  <.f 
no  social  stan.linj;  or  vvvn  of  .lainaKed  reputation.     Treated 
thus  by  patrons  and  parishioners,  how  could  the  unfortunate 


II  i^ 


JOHN    WKSI.KY 


285 


man  be  otherwise  than  craven  or  ciiiiiiinR,  as  {ircumstnnces 
seemed  to  <lemand?  N'or  was  it  entirely  to  his  discredit 
that  he  should  have  sought  to  mend  liis  fortunes  by  dubious 
courses,  and  assuredly  the  ecclesiastics  who  enjoyed  the 
stipends  of  pluralities  were  not  tiie  men  to  remonstrate. 
The  bishops  appointed  by  the  Hanoverian  Court  were 
first  considered  with  rejrard,  not  to  their  fitness,  but  to 
their  political  sympathies.  The  cautious  worldliness  which 
characterized  these  prelates  did  not  prevent  j^rave  scan- 
dals. Some  were  enthroned  by  proxy  ;  others  never  visited 
their  sees;  distant  parts  of  the  dioceses  were  left  without 
supervision,  and  in  not  a  few  instances  without  ministra- 
tions of  any  kind.  (lenerally  speakinj:,  the  clerfiy  were  not 
in  any  sense  deeply  relijiious,  and  to  tliis  fact  is  primarily 
due  the  tradition  of  shame  which  clings  to  the  ( "hurch  of  the 
eighteenth  century. 

Puritanism  had  fallen  from  its  high  estate  long  before 
that  period  nd  was  in  the  most  abject  years  of  its 
deterioration.  The  glories  of  such  patriots,  sclioiars,  and 
saints  as  Hampden.  Pym,  Owen,  and  Baxter  had  faded, 
and  the  hard  ;i  ilarity  of  mind  of  tiie  Dissenters 
prejudiced  the  nation  against  them.  Their  participation 
in  political  embroilments,  with  the  siibsecjucnt  persecutions 
and  deprivations  inflicted  upon  them,  had  undermined  their 
influence  and  destroyed  the  higher  aims  which  once  ani- 
mated Nonconformity.  Chapels  and  conventicles  were 
fretjuented  by  adherents  who  jjrided  themselves  on  their 
independency,  but  whose  doctrines  had  lost  their  appeal. 
The  pluralist,  the  controversialist,  the  man-pleasing,  place- 
hunting  prelate,  the  priest  of  disgraceful  life,  and  the  sec- 
tarian minister  who  moodily  ruminated  on  his  social  sub- 
jection or  preached  Socinianism.  etVcctually  deprived  the 
nation  of  religious  instruction  and  guidance. 

Passion  for  work,  perseverance,  self-sacrifice,  tranquil 
fidelity,  magnanimity,  devotion  to  the  future,  were  not 
unknown,     but     the     Nonconformist    divine    yielded     to 


ill 


ill 


I 


286 


THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


the  conditions  described,  which  also  held  the  parson  of 
the    Established    Church    in    bondage,    and    forced    each 
to  obey  the  conventional  rule.      The  inertia  and    blind- 
ness of  both  underlay  and  accentuated  the  grievous  moral 
situation.      National    conduct    can    be    reformed    in    one 
way  only:    by  the  recovery  of  the  consciousness  of  the 
Eternal  in  a  renewed  sense  of  those  relations  between  God 
and  man  which  make  the  creature  truly  devout ;   and  any 
nation  which  is  not  in  this  meaning  a  Church  will  not  long 
remain  a  State.     Herein  lay  the  essential  infirmity  of  the 
English  people :  they  had  forgotten  God  ;  and,  because  they 
had  forgotten  God,  they  fearfully  forgot  themselves.     What 
freedom  they  had,  subserved  the  riotous  pleasures  and  pur- 
suits upon  which  the  best  and  wisest  among  them  looked  with 
grave  appreheniion.     The  appreciation  of  the  duties  and 
responsil)ilities  of  moral  beings,  and  the  ambition  to  domesti- 
cate the  virtues  and  to  :   -fy  society  with  the  principles  of 
Christianity,   had   alike   \unished.     Religion,   in  its  truest 
significance,  as  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man,  the  saving 
element   in   creeds   and   sects,   the   source  of   evangelizing 
aggressiveness  and  of  what  Mrs.  Humphry  Ward  calls  "a 
sense  of  social  compunction,"  was  little  known  by  the  men 
and   women  of  the  eighteenth  century.     Becaase  of  this 
fatal  ignorance  the  intellectual  classes  'became  the  prey  of 
infilolity;    the  clerical,   of    indifference;    tlie   profane*   of 
bla.sphemy  and  license;  and  the  masses,  of  turpitude  and 
lawlessness. 


,;'  • 


III 

This,  then,  was  the  nation  which  confronted  Wesley  with 
its  almost  insuperable  tyniimy  of  wrong  thinking  and'wrong 
doing.  Yet  such  a  state  could  not  persist  forever  among  a 
people  whose  past  had  been  deeply  ingrained  with  Christian 
ideas  and  whose  territories  were  covred  with  sSmboIs  of 
religious  devotion.    In  his  "  Vision  of  Saints,"  Lewis  iMorris 


w 


ln.i^   !■ 


JOHN    WIvSLEY 


287 


sees  the  "apostolic  form"  of  Wesley  "blessing  our  land," 
and  speaks  of  his  having 

"Relit  the  expiring  fire,  whicii  slotli  ninl  srn<ie 
Anil  the  sad  wcjrld's  uiifuith  had  well-nigh  iiuenched 
And  left  ill  asiie-i." 

The  flame  then  kindled  by  the  regenerate  soul  of  this  master 
spirit  rose  high  and  spread  far.  Hut  before  he  began  his 
work  other  men  had  prepared  tiie  way  for  it.  ueference 
has  been  made  to  the  writings  of  Law  and  also  to  the 
Moravian  teachings  that  led  Wesley  into  Ciiristian  life 
and  peace.  Prior  to  these,  however,  was  the  establish- 
ment in  the  Anglican  ("hurch  of  religious  societies  which 
had  an  organic  connection  witli  earlier  (Jernian  pietism,  and 
anticipated  the  class  meeting  which  afterwards  became  the 
nucleus  of  Methodism.  Tlii'se  associations  were  founded 
by  Dr.  Smithies  of  St.  (liles'  ("hurch,  Cripplegate,  and  Dr. 
Ilorneck,  Lutheran  minister  at  the  Savoy  ('hai)el;  their 
principal  features  being  a  close  connection  with  the  State 
Church  and  a  pronounced  evangelistic  tendency.  When 
they  decUned  in  usefulness  other  kindred  organizations  arose, 
less  restricted  hi  their  aims,  wiiicli  in  turn  gave  i)irth,  in  1670, 
to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  (lospcl  in  Foreign 
Parts,  and,  in  l(i!).S,  to  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian 
Knowledge. 

Such  signs  antl  tokens  were  by  no  means  limited  to  Eng- 
land. In  Xortham])ton,  Massachusetts,  in  17L'!t,  the  very 
year  the  Oxford  ]\[ethodists  formed  the  Moly  Club,  a 
revival  which  profoundly  aflVcted  the  entire  Colony  took 
place  imder  the  ministry  of  Jonathan  Eilward^,  who  de- 
clared, "The  new  Jerusalem  had  b(>gun  to  come  down 
from  heaven,  and  perhaps  never  were  more  prclibaiions  of 
heaven's  glory  given."  Sinuiltaneously  the  provinces  of 
Wales  felt  a  similar  impuise,  where  Howel  Harris  was,  to 
quote  Whitefield,  "a  burning  and  shining  light,  a  barrier 
against    profanity  and    immorality,  anil    an    indefatigable 


■  i 


!, 

-■  'fi 


11 


l^i'' 


I 


/' 


H 


,1  ■' 


!  ; 


1 


2SS      TIIKKK    KKMdiors    LKADKUS   OK   OXFORD 

I.r.,nmt..r  of  tlu«  (m.sihI  .,f  Christ.'  Siotlan.l  also  cxpt- 
ruiicc.  an  awakening  of  wl.icl,  the  Hcvon-nd  James  Hol.e 
of  Kilsyth  puhhslinl  an  account  in  1742,  telling  of  hs 
sprca.l  to  many  <itics  an.l  f.wns  of  the  northern  kingdom. 
Ihiis  in  places  so  far  apart  as  (Jermany  and  Xew  Kn^land 
and  un.ler  jKistor.  and  evanHists  as  vvi.ielv  separated  in' 
theology  an.l  metlunl  as  E.hvards,  Harris,  and  Zinzen.lorf 
thousands  of  i)enitents  reeeive«l  hlessing,  and  their  lives  bore 
witness  to  the  gemiiiieiiess  of  the  change. 

Almost  immediately  after  his  conversion  Weslev  visits! 
the  Moravian  settlement  at  Ilerrnhut,  in  order  that  bv  fur- 
ther  coinersation  with  "those  holy  men  he  might  establish 
his  s.)ul.       On  his  way  thither  he  was  receivi.l  at  Marien- 
borii  by  (\,unt  Zinzen.lorf.      It  woul.l  appear  that  each  was 
di.sappointe.1  m  the  other,  and  Wesley  procee.led  on  July  19, 
17.3S,  to  Herrnhut,  where  he  remaiiunl  f.)r  three  weeks    at- 
tending the  services  of  the  lirethren,  and  conversing  with 
the  teachers  an.l  el.lers  up.m  their  doctrines  an.l  dis.ipline 
lie  conceive.1  a  warm  afi'ection  for  them,  and  especiallv  for 
that   remarkable  saint.   Christian   Davi.l.   who  deserves  a 
more  a.Iecpiate  remembrance.     An  unlettere.1  man,  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age  bef.)re  he  saw  a  Bible ;   yet  at  twenty- 
seven   he   had    become  a   prominent   preach'er  among   his 
countrymen,  afterwards  establishing  the  first  missions  in 
(.reenlan.l,  aiul  making  excursions  into  Ilolhuul,  Denmark 
and    Englan.l.     Wesley,  sch.)lar  an.l   priest  as  he  was,  sat 
at  his  feet,  and   wrote  to  his  brother  Samuel,   "Grxl'has 
given  me  at  length  the  .lesire  of  my  heart.     I  am  with  a 
church  whose  conversati.)n  is  in  heaven ;    in  whom  is  the 
mind  that  was  in  Christ,  an.l  who  so  walk  as  lie  walke.1 
Oh  how  high  an.l   holy  a  thing  Christianitv  is!    and  how 
wi<  ely  .hstinct  from  that  -  I  know  i,.,t  what  -  which  is  so 
calle.1.  th.)ugh  it  lUMther  purifies  the  heart,  nor  renews  the 
life,   after  the   image  of  our  bl»'sse<l    Rdeemer!"     Vet  a 
hint  of  his  subsefjuent  rejection  of  some  articles  of  the  Mora- 
vian teaching  was  conveyed  in  the  courteous  letter  of  thanks 


•|i  >'. 


JOHN'    WKSLKY 


289 


iuldressiKl  to  Ziii/.fiidt.rf  and  dati-d  from  London  on  Soi>- 
U-mlKT  10,  in  wliith  in-  says:  "The  love  and  zeal  of  our 
hrethri-n  in  n.)lland  and  (uTniany,  particularly  at  Ilorrnhut, 
havo  stirri-d  up  many  anions  us,  who  will  not  Ik-  comforted 
till  thev  also  i)artake  of  the  Kreat  and  precious  promises.  I 
hope  to  see  them  at  least  once  more,  were  it  only  to  sp«-ak 
freelv  (.n  a  few  things  which  I  did  not  approve,  perhai)s  he- 
cause  I  did  not  understand  them."  '  Wliat  those  thni^'s 
were  can  he  surmised  from  the  contents  of  a  second  letter, 
which  was  not  .lispatched,  complaining;  of  their  adulation  of 
the  Count  and  of  their  connnnnion  ;  (.f  their  reserve  and 
dissimulation;  in  hrief,  of  those  failinf,'>  which  are  more 
or  less  incident  to  a  life  of  suhjective  piety  unrelated  to 
human  affairs. 

Wesley  now  rejoined  Charles  in  lahors  anions  the  social 
wreckage  t>f    the  metropolis,   preaching   as   often    as    pos- 
sible, and   ministering  to  the  prisoners  in  the  jails.     The 
brothers  also  obtained  an  interview   with   Dr.   (libMm,  the 
Bishop  of   London,  that   they  miglit  exi)laiii  their  methods 
and  seeun-  his  approval.     This  i)relate,  wiio  was  highly  re- 
spected for  tact  and  i)nidence,  failed  to  api>reciate  the  oppor- 
tunity he  now  had  to  render  a  lasting  service  botii  to  the 
causJ  of  religion  and  to  liis  Church.    The  Anglican  epis- 
copacy has  often  shown  an   ineptitude  for  wise  and   cour- 
ageous action  at  similar  crises,  and   in  this  respect   com- 
pares unfavorably  with  the  more  alert  hierarchy  of  Home. 
The  Wesleys  were  in   no  st-nse   aliens  or   rebels;    in    fact 
l)oth    were    stricter    Anglicans    than    the    bishop    himself, 
whose  timid  low  churchmanship  appeared    in    his    answer 
to  theii    question,    "Are  the  Societies    conventicles?"     "I 
think  not,"  he  replied;    "however,  you  can  read  tiie  acts 
and   laws  as  well  as  I,       I   determine  nothing."       an   un- 
happy conclusion  applicable  to  himself  and   hi>  brethien  m 
more  senses  than  one. 

Others,  though  ccpially  hel|)iess,  were  not  so  aci[uiescent 

>  R.  S,)iithoy  :    ■'Life  nf  Wesley "  ;    p;..  101- lO.V 


■  :; 


m 


«    • 


I  ! 


2U0     THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 

as  Gibson.  Tiie  douKhty  Warl.urton,  aftt-rvvanls  Bishop  of 
UoiurstiT,  tlijit  '•kn..,k-kn<v.l  jrii.nt"  of  dt-lKit.-  who  had 
distu.K.ushfd  hIIn^df  ill  the  dristir  controvorsv  a.s  u  bdli- 
eose  ck-ric  of  whom  it  may  be  said 

"Thiit  twic.'  hi'  routed  nW  his  foj-s 
Ami  twici.  \w  -,!,.„  the  ^hiiii." 

now  fdl  fo.,1  „f  .M,>tl iMii.     WritiiiK  to  an  acqiiaintanc,..  he 

■"quired,  "II.,ve  y...,  hear.l  uf  ,.„r  new  set  of  fanatics,  ,alh-d 
the  .Metho.hst.y     There  i.  one  Wesh-y.  who  f.ld  a  friend  „f 
mine  tliat  he  ha.l   \Wr,\   most  <leli,i..,idy  last  summer  in 
(u-orKia,  sh-epin;;  uiid.T  trees,  nn<l  feediii;;  „n  boikd  maizo 
sauee<l  with  tlie  ash.-s  of  nak  h^ives;   an.l  that  lie  will  return 
thither   an.l  then  will  ,„st  ..(f  his  K,,;;!!.!,  dr.'ss.  and  wear  a 
<lned  skm.  hke  tiie  sava-,...  ,1„.  |„.,t,.r  to  ingratiate  himself 
with  them.     It  w.M.ld  be  well  f„r  virtu.,  and  relij;i.,n  if  this 
humor  w„ui.l  lay  hol,|  -rriarally  „f  „ur  over-heated  bigots 
and  send  them  to  eo„l  ihenoelve.  in  the  Indian  marshes."  ' 
Ihis   rantiuf,'  abuse,  of  wlii.h   Warburt.m   was  more  than 
once  LTUilty.  was  the  keM.o.e  „f  „ther  attacks  made  upon 
tlie    Wesleys,   and    showed    tliat    they    had    little  to  expect 
from    the    cler-v    except    misrepresentation    and    slander. 
by    the    close    of    the    year   .John    was   almost   uniformlv 
cxclu.led    from    the   pulpits   of   th.-    Establishment.      While 
the  storm  of  opposition  was  elosin-  in   upon  him  ai  1  his 
followers  he  met  with  his  brother  Charles,  CeorKc  Whit.- 
hel.l  and  others  of  like  min.l  at    I'etter   Lane  to  celebrate 
tlie  last  hours  of  that  anmis  mirabilis  of   I7:]8  in  solemn 
acts  (if  prayer,  praise,  and  renewed  consi^cTation. 

^^hitefield,  who  has  already  been  named  as  an  Oxford 
student,  a  member  of  the  II„ly  ('h,|,,  and  a  close  friend 
and  adnurer  of  Wesley,  was  the  youngest  and  at  that  time 
he  lH<st  known  of  the  three  men.  He  was  born  December 
U),  1714,  at  the  Bell  Inn,  Gloucester,  of  which  his  father  was 
then  the  tenant.     His  general  worth  and  gift  for  elocution 

'  L.  Typrmaii :    "Life  an.l   ^'imes  of  John  Wosiey-  ;    Vol.  I,  p.  l'OS. 


■?**  Vl^K.  i,'^-*. 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


291 


procnrp«l  him  frionrls  who  assistiHl  him  in  ()l)tainiiij;  a  I'ni- 
vcrsity  (Mhuatioii.  ]\v  was  Dniiiiiuil  (icacoii  in  \7'M\,  and 
(K'hvtTn!  his  first  sermon  in  tlu-  maKnificcnl  ("atlR'<lral  of 
his  native  city.  lie  'clun  lu';;an  an  itinerary  thronjjii 
the  western  provinces  of  Kn^iland,  and  aUo  in  Lon(h)n, 
where  lie  atlracti'd  immense  audiences;  in<ieed,  his  name 
(luieiily  became  a  household  word  in  IJatli,  Hristol,  and  tlie 
capital.  After  Ids  return  from  ('icor;,'ia  to  receive  priest's 
orders  and  (oHect  money  for  the  orpliana^e  lie  had  fonndcil 
there,  he  was  included  in  the  marked  disai)pr()val  the  clergy 
had  shown  toward  the  Wesleys,  and  with  <haraeteristie 
impetuosity  he  at  once  commeiicetl  field  j)reachinn.  When 
the  churches  of  Hristo!  were  closed  against  him  he  re- 
paired to  ll<  se  Mill,  just  outsi<le  the  city,  and  there  fated 
the  j^riniy  pitmen  an<l  lahorers  who  were  the  tirror  of  the 
locality,  sululnin^  them  hy  his  dramatic  \ittirance.  The 
entranced  listeners  ((nailed  beneath  his  fervid,  searching 
at-  jals;  thei."  <leadeiu'd  sensibilities  were  so  aroused  that, 
a-  lie  afterwards  described  the  scene,  tears  of  penitence 
channeled  "white  ^ntters  on  their  blackened  cheeks."  As 
the  thronj^s  iiicre:ise<l,  he  wrote,  -  "The  oimii  firmament 
above  me,  the  prosix-ct  of  adjacent  fields  with  the  si^lit  of 
thousands  antl  thousands,  sonu-  in  coaclics.  some  on  horse- 
back, and  some  in  the  trees,  and  at  all  times  atVected  and 
(Ireiiched  in  tears  tofietlier,  to  which  sonietimes  was  addetl 
the  solemnity  of  approaching;  eveniii':,  was  almost  too  much 
for  me  and  (luite  overcame  me."  lie  left  Hri>t(il  escorted 
by  a  jjuard  of  honor  composed  of  his  converts  and  friends 
and  with  u  handsome  subscrii)tion  for  a  chari'.y  school  to  be 
established  amoiif;  them ;  a  project  eventually  ciirried  out 
by  Wesley  at  I\iii<;swood. 

Before  the  midsummer  of  17:5!)  Whitefield  r(>peated  his 
triumphs  in  London,  where  his  audiences  at  Hyde  Park. 
BlaekiK 'th,  ^b)orfields,  and  Kenninuton  ('ommcm  were  the 
sensation  of  the  tow!i.  lie  asserts  that  ei;;lit:''  thousand 
persons  assembled   at   one   time ;   although   this   estimate 


I, 


i 


If 


II' 


•J1»2     TIIRKK    UKLKilors   LKADKKs  oK  ((XFoiM) 


lu- 


was     i.rnhiil.ly     .•xjiK^'tratcl.     tlun-     can     hr     no     doiilit 
that    lew    have   ail(lr<>M(l    larufT  >;atliiriiij;s    lor   a    similar 
ptiriMw,.  „r  M•^\i•^\  tlinn  t..  a  iMttcr  cihI.     Tin-  Thames  wator- 
iiiMi  .MiiiM  not  I'.rry  over  all  tin-  jx-opl,.  (I.tcrminfd  to  lu-ar 
him,  sul.nrlis  and   slums  wen-  nnpticd   whil,.  his  sermons 
WIT."  in  projrnss.  and  their  efVect  was  acknowleilned  liy  the 
edncat.'d    as   \v.-l|    as   the    illiterate.     Foremost   anionic   his 
supporters  was  Lady  llnntinplon,  r.-Karded  by  some  ns  the 
most  reniarkahle  woman  ol"  her  ajje  and  coinitry.  an  aristo- 
erat  whos.-  life  was  "a  heautiful  course  of  hallowed  lahor" 
and  her  death  "the  serene  setting  of  a  sun  of  Imlliant  hue." 
Anions  others  of  rank  who  flocke<l   to   hear  him  were   the 
I'rince  of  Wal.s.   the   Duke  <.f  Cumherland.   the   Duchess 
•'f  Ancaster,  Lady  Town>heud,  Lady  Franklin,  Ladv  Flin- 
chmhroke.    Lord     nolinKl>roke.     Lt.rd     Chesterfield."    Lord 
Lytthton,  Lord  .\(.rtli.  Hul>l>   Dod.liuKton.  (Jec.rK'e  Selwyn, 
and  William  Fitt.     David  (Jarrick  remarked  tha*  he  wo'uld 
ftive  his  whole  fortune  to  he  al>le  to  pronounce  the  single 
word  "Mes'jpotamia"  witli  the  jiathos  and  power  he  had 
heard  Whitefield  put  into  it.     Horace  Wal|)ole,  who  had  a 
keen  eye  f(.r  foihies,   lu.ted   that   "Methodism   iii   the   me- 
tropolis is  more  fashionahle  than  anything  hut  hruj;.     The 
women  play  wry  deep  at  hoth,  as  deep,  it  i^;  much  suspected, 
as  the  matrons  of  Rome  <lid  at  the  mysteries  of  Momi  Dea." 
And  ajrain,  writinj;  to  Sir  Horace  Mann,  his  lifelong  corre- 
slMMident,  he  said,  "If  you  ever  think  of  returning  to  Kufj- 
land.youmiist  i)repare  yourself  for  Methcxlism.  .  .  .     Lady 
Frances  Shirley  has  chos,-n  this  way  of  hestowinj;  the  dreg's 
of  her  heauty  :   Mr.  Lyttleton  is  very  near  making  the  .same 
sacrifice  ()f  the  dregs  of  all  the  characters  he  has  worn.     The 
Methodists  love  your  hig  sinners,  as  proper  subjects  to  work 
on,  aiul,  mdee.l,  they  have  a  plentiful  harvest.     Flagrance 
was  never  more  in  fashion,  drinking  is  at  the  high  wa>  r 
mark." 

That  a  young  clergyman  not  \et  tweiitv-six  should  have 
eomiH'lled  the  attention  Whitefield  receive<l  from  high  and 


■iP.l 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


203 


lowly  WHS  in  itself  si>;nifi«aiit.  His  facial  apiMaraiur  was 
not  altop'tluT  pn-possfssiiin,  hut  in  turliiT  nianlKXMl  his 
wt'll-i)ro|»<>rti()nf<l  linurc  and  suiK-rh  voice  inaiic  him,  like 
Pantoii,  the  trihtine  of  the  o|hii  spaces.  Kxiil)erant  physi- 
cal ener>;y,  sincerity  of  conviction  atiil  earnestness  of  maimer, 
lent  weight  even  to  his  im^;iianle<l  statements.  lie  could 
denomiie  the  treachcric>  of  sin,  (lescrii>e  the  doom  of  the 
Mnner,  enforce  the  remeilies  of  tin-  (Josjm-I.  and  comfort  the 
sorrows  of  the  penitent  with  winpil  aim  resi>til)le  words. 
Dr.  Doddridjie,  Dr.  Isaac  Watts,  and  oliicrs  coinpctcnt  to 
jnd^ce  ohjecte<l  to  his  excessive  en\otionali>m ;  hut,  al- 
thou^di  its  nunlification  mi^ht  hav«'  avoided  some  undesir- 
able results,  it  would  have  de|)rived  him  of  his  cliief  element 
of  power  as  an  vmrivale<l  orator.  He  was  iieitlicr  a  pliiloso- 
pher  nor  a  theologian,  hut,  what  was  more  rare  than  either, 
an  evangelist  whose  heart  had  been  fired  and  his  lips 
anointed  to  imulaim  the  savin>;  message  of  the  Cross  to  a 
morihimd  generation. 

The  most  profitable  outcome  of  his  work  was  its  formative 
influence  upon  Wesley,  wlio  not  only  emulated  Whitefield's 
example  as  a  field  preacher,  but  garnered  nnicli  of  the 
harvest  of  his  sowinj;.  Karly  in  March,  17:>0,  he  rec»-ive<I 
a  messani'  from  Whitcfield  urirently  solicitinj;  his  presence 
and  help  in  Bristol.  Fully  emi)loye<l  as  he  was  at  the  time, 
Wesley  was  reluctant  to  leav«'  London,  and  his  brother 
Charles  vehemently  <»pi)ose<l  his  doinj;  this.  In  their  per- 
plexity they  reverted  to  tiie  customary-  practice  of  .yorfrx 
liihiircr,  the  results  of  which  were  not  encoura^'iM<;  until 
Charles,  makinj;  a  last  attemi)t,  opened  at  the  word<,  — 
"Son  of  man,  behold,  I  take  from  thee  the  doircs  of  thine 
eyes  with  a  stroke;  yet  ?icithcr  shalt  thou  mourn  nor  weep, 
neither  shall  thy  tears  run  down."  Vpnu  this  he  withdrew 
his  opposition,  and  John  decided  to  pi  to  Bristol. 

This  was  the  turning  point  in  Wesley's  public  career. 
He  was  about  to  take  a  step  that  would  separate  him  from 
his  ecclesiastical  superiors  and  brethren,  and  cost  him  the 


(' 


•  « 


il 


... )  1  i 


II 


'   i 


Hi 


294      TiniKE    HKLIOIOLS   LKADEUS   OK   OXFOKP 

confi<U-ncT  and  affi'<tioii  of  tlif  Clmnli  of  |,is  hirtli  and 
traiiiiiiK.  nor  is  it  lik»ly  that  lie  was  su^tainf-l  In-  any  \m'- 
vision  of  tlif  outcome  wlii.li    waittd    upon   lii,'  tcn'uTity. 
rrcacliinn    on    iincon  .tcraltd    ^touihI.    to    say    tuithinK    «>f 
aildrfssinj:  proniisciioiis  >;atlurin>;s  which  were  ncvt-r  more 
scciiiari/c(l  in  IVchn^  than  at  that  tina'.  was  .•onsidcrod  hy 
r\fii  the  Lest  of  Aiiiclicans  a  di-orderly  act.  a  liisturharuv  of 
th.'  jMirce  of  Church  and  State.     Ifehictant  to  tile  last,  on 
liearinj;   Whiteficld    preach    in    the  open   air.   Wesley   com- 
mented      .  (ould  sciircely  reconcile  myself  at  first  to  this 
Mranp-  way  of  which  he  set  me  an  example  on  Sunday; 
hayinj;  luen  all  my  life  till  very  lately  >o  tenacious  (,f  every 
point    relating;  to  decency  aral  ord.r,   that    1   should   have 
thoufiht  the  saving  of  souls  almost  a  sin  if  it  had  not  het-n 
done  in  a  chun:.."     Xotwithstandiiij;.  on  April  2,   I7;{<),  a 
date  lu'xt  in  iin|)ortance  to  tiiat  of  hi,  conversion,  he  "suh- 
iiiitted  to  he  more  vile."  and  standing  on  a  grassy  niound 
addressed  a  ureat  crowd   from   the  words,  '"rhe  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  upon  me.  hccause    Me    hath    anointed    me   to 
preach  the  (;osi)el  to  thi'  [)oor."     The  appro|)riateness  of 
the  text  to  the  «'vents  which  had  hroujrht  him  to  that  place 
and  hour  was  only  c(|ualed  l>y  its  prophetic  character.     He 
deliheratcly  rejected  the  earthly  prizes  of  his  calling  that  he 
nii/'l.t  •    .    I  ,ii,:  tlj.    r-li^'ion  of  the  .\ew  Testament  to  men 
and  women  who  were  looked  upon  l>y  the  more  refined  a; 
hopeless    Imrbarians.     Vet    no    Christian    statesman    could 
have  issued  a  better  justification  for  this  extraordinary  pro- 
cedure   than    is   contained    in   the   openiiij;    paragraphs   of 
his  "Kariu'st  Ai)peal  to  Men  of  Faith  and  Religion."     After 
0(>mpariiij,'  the  formal  and  lifeless  professions  then  prevalent 
with  the  renewin);  encr^ry  the  Methodists  had  exi)erieneed. 
he  siiowed   how   he  and   his  friends   had   stumbled   in   the 
gloom  of  i)ast  days,  having  none  to  guide  them  into  "the 
straight  way  to  the  religion  of  love,  even  by  faith."     "By 
this  faith,"  lie  continued,  "we  are  saved  from  all  uneasi- 
ness of  mind,  froui  the  anguish  of  a  wounded  spirit,  from 


i'»1 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


29") 


disconUMit.  from  f.ar  iiii.l  sorr.Av  of  ht-art.  ami  fn.m  that 
inexprt'ssihif  listli'sMiins  and  wcariticHs.  »x>tli  of  tlio  world  uiid 
oursflvfs,  wliicl.  Nvi-  ha.l  >o  h.l|)!.»ly  laLorcl  un.l.T  for 
nianv  v.ars,  i^|Hcialiy  vvlici.  «.■  vtrt-  out  of  tin-  hurry  of  the 
worliraud  Muik  into  .aim  nfliction.  In  this  \v»>  find  that 
love  of  (JihI  an.l  of  all  mankind  \\hi<h  we  liad  tlsrwluTt- 
souKht  in  vain.  This,  wv  know  and  fr.1,  and  thtn-fort- 
cam.othut  d.clar.-.  >av.s  »vi-ry  one  that  partak.-s  of  it  both 
from  sin  and  mist-ry,  from  tviry  unhapi'y  an>l  i    t-ry  unlovt-d 

temiKT."  ' 

This   manifi-sto,   m.   lucid,   emphatic,   and    nnanswerable 
l,y  thoM-  who  accepted  Christianity  at  all.  i>  (pioted  as  a 
first-rate  s]Hcinu-n  <.f  the  statements  wiiich  exiM.sed  Wesley 
to  the  censure  of  An^dican  dignitaries  and  of  the  learned  and 
the   worldlv.     The  ec.lesiastical  autlDrities  were  provoked 
apiinst  Methodism  hecause  it  violated  their  rule  and  rebuked 
their  failure;   the  devotees  of  fa>hion  and  culture  because  it 
disturbed  their  complacency  and  iiri.le.     Neither  had  any 
desire   to   leave   their   protected    >hore>  and    venture   after 
Wesley  into  the  agitated  <liep^  of  undisc  i|)rmed  human  life. 
They  "were  repelled  by  .he  noi>e  and  confusion  of  its  emo- 
tional outbreaks  and  were  too  i)unctiliously  correct   to  Ik- 
nnythiti};  more   than   nominally   reli>:ious.     Whitefield   was 
patronized  by  some  amonj;  them  who  endured  his  opinions 
fs-  the  jdcasure  of  listcinK'  to  his  oratory,  but  Wesley's 
putting,'  of  the  same  truths  aroused  their  indiKnaut  remon- 
strance.    Yet  his  •■Ai)peal"  and  his  sermons  were  in  sub- 
stance tin-  accepted  doctrines  of  thiir  own  Church,  and  better 
still,  a  fair  im-sentation  of  the  teachinf;  and  spirit  of  the 
New  Testament.     In  them  he  showed  himst-lf  a  master  ()f 
the  proper  sentiment  and  the  fittiiiK  word.     Without  strain- 
ing after  grandilotiuence.  in  language  the  cliief  notes  of  which 
were  sincerity,  simplicity,  and  n-straint,  with  every  appear- 
ance of  unstudied  uttcrancr,  he  discovered  the  secrets  of 
many  hearts  and  ai)i)licd  to  them  th.'  blessings  of  i)ar(h)n  and 
•  John  Tolfonl ;   "l  h.   Ufo  of  .lohu  Wc^slcy  "  ;    PP.  11-'- 113. 


if*; 


1 1 


Ul 


111 


nm 


u 


29ti 


TllltKK    UKLKilOLS    LKADKRS   OF   OXFOliD 


I     !. 


! 


!      ' 


restcniiion.     Ol.l    fustiiin    an.l    piirplf    patches    won-    not 
tolcrati'd,  yet  the  plirasc  that  uplifts,  the  (vvWufr  that  is  most 
intense  when   most   repressed,  the  intellectual   rather  than 
tile  clamorous  accent,  enal.le.l  him  to  make  the  (lee|)est  im- 
pression of  any  preacher  of  his  aj,'e.     His  speech   coml)ine(l 
almiuiance   with   economy,   the   little   with   the   much.     I( 
form  was  concise,  its  ineaninfi  infinite,  its  character  liiminou.- 
There  were  more  accomplish.'d  thinkers  and  rhetori<ian 
than  Wesley,  hut  as  an  advM.ate  (.f  relif,'i(Hi  and  an  orfranizcr 
of  Its  forces  lie  was  unsurpassed.     The  level  reaches   and 
traiuiml  flow  of  his  discourse  were  sometimes  stirred  hy  a 
diviiH-  afflatus  of  which  his  hearers  afterwards  spoke  with 
bate<i  hreath  ;  the  pillars  of  the  sanctuary  seemed  to  tremble, 
the  Eternal  One  Himself  Ix.wed  the  heavens  and  came  d<.wn,' 
while  all  the  people  stood  in  awe  of  Him,  and  the  souls  of 
the  worshipers  were  shaken  hy  the   winds   of   God.     John 
Nelson,  a  well-poisiMl  ^orkshircman,  has  left  a  forceful  de- 
scription of  Wesley  which  amplifies  the  difference  between 
him  and  Whitefield  in  that  resp,-ct.     "Whitefield  was  t..  m( 
as  a   man  who  could  play  well  on  an  instrument,  for  his 
preachinj,'  was  pleasant  to  me  and  I  loved  the  man  .  .  .  but 
I  did   not  understand    him.     I  was  like  a  wan.lerinjr  bird 
cast  out  of  its  nest  till   Mr.   John   Wesley  came  to  preach 
his   first   sermon  at    Moorfiel.ls.  .  .  .      As  soon    as   he  got 
upon   the  stand,  he  stroked   back  his  hair  and  turned   his 
face  towards  when-  I  stood,  and,  I  thought,  fixe  1   his  eyes 
upon  me.     His  ccintenance  fixed  such  an  awful  dread  upon 
nic,  l)efore  1  heard  him  speak,  that  it  made  mv  heart  beat 
h:-.e   the  pendulum  of  a  clock:  and   when   he  did   speak,  I 
'  ought    his   whole    disc.iurse   was    aimed  at  me.      When 
ho  had   done,  I    said.  'This  man  can  tell  me  the  secrets  of 
my  heart;   he  ha'.h  not   left  m.^  there;    for  he  hath  showed 
the  remedy,  even  the  bloo.l  of  Jesus,'  ...  I  d„rst  not  look 
nj).  for  [  imagined  all   the  people  were  looking  at  me.     He- 
fore  Mr.  Wesley  concluded   his  sermon   he  cried   out.   'U't 
the  wicked  man   forsake   !u"s  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man 


JOHN    WF-^LKY 


297 


his  tlumjjlits;  aM<l  It-t  him  return  unto  tlu-  Lord,  and  He 
will  iiave  im-nv  upon  iiini ;  and  to  our  (lod,  for  He  will 
abundantly  pardon.'     1  said   if  that   Uv  truo.  I  will  turn  to 

(lod  to-(lay."  f  1    -1 1 

AlthoUK'h  Wfslcv  was  >h(.rt  of  stature  and  sliglit  of  build, 
his   jH-rsonal    appoarancf    was     b.-niKU    and    coniinandinK'. 
His  carriafie  was  erect  and  ^ra-rful,  and  in  that  time  of  wi^s 
he  wore  his  own  hair  U.uk,  I)arted  in  the  middle,  and  falliii},' 
upon  his  shoulders  with  a   sli-ht   curl.     Austerity  and   be- 
nevoleiKv  were  hannoniou>ly  blended  in   his  bearing;,   his 
voiir,  whieh  lu-  carefully  modulated,  was  melo.liims  an(l  pen- 
etrating';    his  movements  a^rile  and  di>;nificd.     The  slifjhtly 
feminine  ca>t  of  his  clean  shaven  face  and  robe.l  H^iire  was 
balanml   bv  the  masculine  stren-th  of  his  I'n.fil.-,  with  its 
Roman  nose  and  firm  mouth.     In  the  jrallery  of  beautiful 
an«l   imi)ressive  face>  of   renowned   men,   such  as  those  of 
.Shakespeare,   Milton,  (l.M'the,  and   the  youthful   Burns,  a 
place  has  been  rightly  },'iven  to  that  of  Wesl.-y.  who  resem- 
bled Milton  more  than  any  other  f;reat  KnKli>hmaii,  not  only 
in  phvsical  appearance  but  to  some  extent  in  spiritual  coin- 
plexiim.     Uichanl   Watson   (ulder   in    his   Ode   to   Wesley, 
exclaims : 

"In  those  clear,  picrciiiK',  piteous  eyes  heholii 
The  very  soul  tluit  over  KiiK'liiiul  HaiiuHl!" 

Thev  retained  to  the  last  tlu'  searching;  .-xpression  which 
Nelson  had  noted,  and  numerous  contemporaries  spoke  of  the 
glance,  swift  to  encourage,  steadfast  to  control,  before  \vhich 
the  dainty  exquisite  Ueaii  Nash  and  the  mobs  of  the  Mul- 
land  shires  alike  shrank.  i       r    i 

Whitefield's  enerjjies  were  divided  loiiR  'h'"'"'  'i^'  "'i^'**- 
and  (Miarles  Wesley's  itinerant  preaching,  which  bej;aii 
with  promise,  practically  ended  after  his  marriaj;e,  but  John 
eontinued  his  beneficent  journeyinj;s  to  the  en.l  ..f  life.  In 
them  he  kept  to  the  centers  of  iiulu^trial  population,  leav- 
ing the  remoter  regions  to  be  afterwards  evangelized  by  his 


■  .     'I 


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298 


THHKK  RK[.I(il()US  LEADKRS  OF  OXFORD 


helpers.  London,  Bristol,  and  Newcastle  were  the  points  of 
an  isosceles  triangle  which  inchuied  the  principal  reas  of 
Ins  mission.  Not  a  moment  of  the  long  .lav  was  lost  • 
he  rose  at  four,  frequently  preached  at  five,  and  then 
rode,  ..r  in  his  older  years  drove,  over  wretched  roads  to  his 
appointments.  Nothing  ■  as  allowed  to  .listurl.  the  schedule 
the  intervals  of  which,  when  he  tarried  at  an  itni  or  at  the 
home  of  a  friend,  were  occupied  in  reading  or  in  making 

notes,  m  writing  tracts  and  pamphlets  and  in  c lucting  an 

mterjnmal.le  correspondence.  Duty  wiscjv  and  scrupu- 
Jously  carric.!  out  according  to  a  fi.xed  program  never  had 
a  more  faithful  disciple.  His  love  of  or.lcrliness,  a  good 
index  of  the  mind,  was  seen  not  only  in  the  neatness  of  his 
dress  hut  m  every  particular  of  his  life.  Wherever  he  might 
be,  he  was  satisfied,  ahsorhed,  detached,  free  from  vexation 
of  .spirit  and  al,lc  to  pursue  his  me.litations,  whether  among 
the  wild  hills  of  Uales  or  tossing  on  the  Irish  .Sea,  or  in  the 
bleak  and  inhospitable  fastnesses  of  the  ('..rnisli  coast      He 

.7-M  ;TJ;^^"-,^''''''"^''''  ^"''"""'''  "''"■'•^'  ^'^'^y  t"""'^-  ""•'  traveled 
-oO,(m  miles  on  land -this  when  there  were  no  turnpikes 
in  the   north   of   Englan.l.  and   the   Lon.lon   stage   coaches 
did  not  run  heyon.l  York.     In  .June,   I7o().  he  was  neirlv 
twei.ty  hours  in  the  sad.lle  and  ccver.-d  ninetv  miles  in  one 
day;    m   ],,S  he  speaks  „f  having  made  2.S()  miles  in  4,S 
hours,  and  ...  the  winter  weather  of  Scotland  he  ro.le  an  e.nial 
distance  in  six  days.     His  northern  route  in  FebruarN    17 r> 
was   one   of   the   .sexerest    he   ever   undertook.     (Ja'tcshea.l 
l-ell  was  covered  with  sno.-,  no  roads  were  visible;    wind 
hail,  and  sleet,  aceompani.-d  by  intense  cohl,  made  the  ••onn- 
try  one  sheet  of  im,,assable  ice.     The  horses  fell  down  a,.d 
had  to  be  led   by  Wesley  and  his  companions,  who  were 
guided  by  a  Newcastle  man  into  the  town.     The  following 
winter  he  was  crusted  from  hea.l  to  foot  by  a  blizzar.l  as  he 
struggled  on  from  Birmingham  to  Stafford.     In   1747  the 
drifts  almost  swallowed  him  up,,,,  Stamford  Heath      In  his 
eighty-third  year  he  was  as  fearlessly  en.rgetic  as  ever    While 


JOHN   WESLEY 


299 


i.i 


travelling  in  the  "Delectable  Duchy"  he  came  to  Hayle, 
on  his  way  to  preach  at  St.  Ives.     The  sands  between  the 
towns  were  covered  with  a   risinj;  tide,  and  a  sea  captain 
begged  the  old  hero  to  wait  until  it  liad  receded.     But  he 
had  to  be  at  St.  Ives  l)y  a  given  time,  and  he  called  to  his 
coachman,  "  Take  the  sea  !  take  tlie  sea  1 "    At  first  the  horses 
waded  ;    ere   loi.^  they  were   swimming,  and   the   man    on 
the  box  fcare<l  that  all  wouh'  be  drowned.     Wesley  put  his 
head  out  of  the  carriage  window  to  encourage  him  —  "What 
is  your  name,  driver?"  he  inquired.     "  Teter,  sir,"  was  the 
reply.     "  I'eter,  fear  not ;    thou  shalt  not  sink,"  exclaimed 
the  patriarch.     When  they  reached  St.   Ives,  after  attend- 
ing to  IVter'     comfort,  he  went  into  the  pulpit,  drenched 
as  he  was,  and  i)reached.     The  ijhilosopliieal   coolness  and 
brevity  witii   which   he  recorded  these  and  similar  adven- 
tures show  that  he  regarded  them  as  mcrclx  incidental  to 
that  cause  he  had  assigned  as  t'.-.e  sole  purpose  of  hi.>  exist- 
ence, and  to  which  he  consecrated  all  his  gifts.     He  delivered 
forty-two  thousand  sermons  in  fifty  years,  an  average  of 
over  fifteen  a  week.     He  was  beyond  seventy  when  thirty 
thousand  lu-ople  gathcr-d  to  hear  him  in  the  natural  amphi- 
theater  at    (Iwennaj)  (\)rnwall.     Ten   years   later   he 
wrote,  "  I  have  entered  the  eighty-third  year  of  my  age. 
I  am  a  wonder  to  myself,  I  am   never  tired,  either  with 
preaching,    writing,    or   traxdling."      By    no    preconcerted 
scheme,  nor  under  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  but  calmly, 
deliberately,  and  wuh  the   love  that    endures    to   the  end, 
Wesley  became  the  most  devoted,  laborious,  and  successful 
evangelist  the  Christian  Churcii  has  known  since  Apostolic 
days. 

lie  had  read  with  amazement  of  the  physical  contortions 
and  convulsions  during  the  New  England  Revival,  little 
dreaming  that  his  renewed  ministry  would  produce  such  phe- 
nomena. He  had  no  more  than  begun  it,  however,  when  at 
a  service  in  Baldwin  Street  Meeting  House,  Bristol,  he  could 
scarcely  be  heard  for  the  groanings  and  vvailings  of  stricken 


r     •' 


li 


)  i; 


I 


■  l;i 


, :; 


I    r 


300 


THUP:K    RELKilOUS    LKADKPs   of   OXFORD 


IKMiiteiits.  ill-  aii.lii'iur  sat  a  Fri.-nd  who  was  unncyed 

by  what  a         r.d  to  him  unsirmly  prett'iiso,  till  he  iiimself 
was  earn.".!  ,,wav   l)y  tli<-  saiiif  resistless  tVcliiij;.  for  the  time 
boiiiK  losing  all  MJf-possession,  and  deelariii^r  „„  his  reeovery, 
"Now  I  know   that  thou  art  a  prophet  of  the  Ix)r<l."     Al- 
thoiiKh   th<>  j^reater   mimi.er  of  these  seizures  oeeiirred* in 
small  crowd.Ml  rooms,  there  were  iiistaiiees  of  persons  all'eeted 
in  like  manner  in  their  homes.     John  Ilaydon.  I.y  profession 
an  An>rliean,  and  a  n-.an  of  good  standing,  who  had  hitherto 
regarded  sueli  outbreaks  as  of  tlie  devil,  while  seated  in  his 
own   house,   reading  a    sermon   on    "Salvation    bv   Faith" 
suddenly  fell  writhing  to  the  floor.     Weslev,  who  was  in  the 
vimiitN,    hastened    to   Ilaydoti's  relief.     ".Vye,"  cried   the 
smitten  one  on  his  reeovery,  "this  is  he  who  I  said  was  a 
deceiver  of  the  people;    but  God  has  overtaken  me.     I  said 
it  was  all  a  delusion  ;  but  this  is  no  delusion."     These  ebulli- 
tions wer.'  in  the  main  as  unsought  by  Wesley  as  they  were 
surprising  to  him,  nor  did  the  whole  series  amount  to  more 
than  a  passing  incident.      His  Journal  and   letters  mention 
only  about   sixty  cases,  an   insignificant   mimber  when  the 
thousan.Is  of  his  converts  arc  recalled  ;  a  few  were  extremely 
pamful  and  jjrolongcd,  the  rest  comparatively  mild  and  brief. 
His  explanation  of  them  was  dcriv.'d  from  the  dreams, 
trances,  and  visions  of  Hiblical  re|)ort.     But  he  added  that 
after  a  time  natural  depravity  polluted  the  work  of  grace, 
which  Satan  cuimingly  inn'tated  in  order  to  (h>feat  its  ends' 
so  that,  while  the  hand  of  Deity  was  undoubtedly  present  in' 
these  mysterious  events,  Satan's  was  no  less  evident  — "a 
singular  cooperation."  as  Sir  Leslie  Stephen  observes,  "be- 
tween   Cuu]    an<i    the    devil."     Many    subjects    of    these 
manifestations,    however,    proved    by    their   after    life    the 
reality  of  a  gratifying  change  of  heart  coincident  with  the 
seizures.      Later   siinnlations,    some   of   which    were   quickly 
<letected    and    >ilci,ccd,    nio.lified    Wesley's    lu-ljef    in    their 
value.     Ill  a  letter  to  his  brother  Samuei.  who  was  alarmed 
by  the  wild  rmjK.rs  which  spread  abroad  c(.ncerning  John's 


If'      I     , 


I 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


:«)i 


preaching,  ho  protested  tiiat  liis  work  sliould  not  Ix'  judged 
by  outward  signs,  wiiatever  might  l)e  their  cause,  hut  hy 
its  true  element;  that  (juickening  >|)irit,  a  greater  wonder 
than  any  other  reeorded,  whicli  reinack' soeiety,  and  brought 
into  the  Kingdom  of  (lod  men  and  women  wiiose  iniquity 
had  been  notorious.  He  urged  tliat  such  regenerated  souls 
were  Hving  arguments  whieh  could  not  be  successfully 
disputed. 

The  psychological  aspects  of  the  question  merit  a  fuller 
treatment  than  can  be  given  here.  It  seems  strange  that 
this  loss  of  self-control  should  liave  first  occurred  under 
Wesley,  who  could  not,  in  the  usual  sense  of  the  term,  be 
called  an  emotional  preacher.  The  exi)lanation  is  probably 
to  be  found  in  his  very  restraint.  While  Whitefield,  with  his 
torrential  eloquence,  and  Charles  Wesley,  by  his  impassioned 
appeal,  deeply  stirred  the  heart,  their  own  tears  and  ecstasies 
suggested  to  their  hearers  these  more  normal  avenues  for 
the  expression  of  excited  feelings.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
steady  beat  of  Wesley's  plain,  measured  discourse,  expound- 
ing hitherto  unfamiliar  doctrines  which  searche<l  the  con- 
sciences of  a  benighted  people  as  with  the  candle  of  the 
Lord,  was  enforced  by  a  solemnity  of  manner  and  a  i)eculiar 
yet  repressed  intensity  overwhelming  in  their  influence. 
I'nlike  his  brother  or  Whitefield,  he  discouraged  by  his 
outward  composure  the  facile  discharge  of  agitations  which 
he  nevertheless  aroused  in  far  higher  degree  than  either 
of  them.  Hence  the  only  outlet  for  the  volcanic  emotions 
he  kindled  in  the  miners  of  Kingswood  and  Newcastle  was 
in  that  sympathetic  nervous  action  which  those  emotions 
induced.' 

The  hostility  of  official  Anglicanism  towards  his  mission, 
which,  as  we  have  seen,  showed  itself  from  the  begimiing, 
was  naturally  inflamed  by  these  irregularities;  and  it 
increased  with  the  rapid  growth  of  the  movement.     There 

'  For  a  (li.sdi.ssiim  iif  t\u->  siiKjc- 1  sim>  Piofi-ssor  Iroili'rick  .M.  Diivenport's 
volume,  "Primitive  TruitM  in  UoliKious  Revivals." 


' 


i   ,1 
I  .i, 


I 


4.1'. 


•'  I 


I!  ' 


■        \ 


:\\'  I't 


:i02     TIIUEE    UELKilOirs    LRADKRS   OK   OXFORD 

was  not  .sufficioiit  cxpaiisivcncss  in  a  State  Chiirch  governed 
by  rule  and  rote  to  admit,  much  less  a:.siinilate.  the  extra- 
neous practices  of  the  Wesleys  and  Wliitefield.     Macaulay 
speculates  that  the  Papacy  would  have  al.'sorhed  the  enthu- 
siasm and  adopted  the  new  organization  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Holy  Sec.     "At  Home  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon  would 
iiave  been  given  a  place  in  the  calendar  as  St.  .Selina,  .  .  . 
Elizabeth   Fry  would   ha\e   been  the  first  Superior  of  the 
Ulessed  Order  of  Sisters  of  the  Jails.     .John  Wesley  would 
have  become  General  of  a  new  society  devoted  to  the  honor 
and  interests  of  the  Church."     Without  by  any  means  in- 
dorsing another  oft-quoted  passage,  in  whicii  Cardinal  New- 
man laments  the  callous  perversity  of  the  Estal)lishment, 
it  was  at   least   more  applicable   to   Wesley   than  to  any 
other  Anglican  since  the  Iveformation :    "Oh,  my  mother! 
whence  is  it  unto  thee  that  thou  hast  good  things  jjoured 
upon  thee  and  canst  not  keep  them,  and  bearest  children 
yet  darest  not  own  them?  .  .  .     How  is  it  that  whatever 
is  generous  in  purpose  and  tender  and  deep  in  devotion, 
thy  flower  and  thy  promise  falls  from  thy  bosom  and  finds 
no  hope  within  thy  arms?"     The  Churdi  which  too  often 
tolerated  laxity  and  idleness  promptly  stigmatized  Wesley's 
effort  to  remedy  these  evils  as  a    breach  of  ecclesiastical 
di-scipline.     It  could  see  the  occasional  extravagances  and 
mistakes  of  Methodism,  but  was  blind  to  its  religious  value. 
Thus,    when   Wesley   solicited   the   countenance   of   Butler, 
then  Bishop  of  Bristol,  e\en  he,  the  bright  particular  star 
of  the  ei)iscopacy,  replied:  "Sir,  since  you  ask  my  advice, 
I  will  give  it  freely  —  you  have  no  business  here;    you  are 
not  commissioned  to  preach  in  this  diocese.     Therefore  I 
advise  you  to  go  hcnw."     Wesley  had    l)ut  one   defense: 
he  was  a  churchman  no  less  thai,  his  loniMiip,  with  no  desire 
to  disturb  the  order  which  had  i)een  habitual  to  both,  yet, 
when  that  order  souglit  to  check  the  influx  of  spiritual'life 
which  he  had  every  reason  to  lu'lieve  was  divinely  bestowed, 
he   was  constrained  to  take  his  own  course.     He  openly 


1  I 


JOHN   WKSLKY 


:m\ 


avowed:  "God,  in  Scriptun-,  coiiimands  me,  accordinn  to 
my  power,  to  iii>tru(t  the  i>,'iinraiit,  reform  tlie  wieked,  eoii- 
flrm  the  virtuous.  Mmi  forltids  me  to  do  tliis  in  another's 
parish;  that  is.  in  etTeet  not  to  do  it  at  all,  seeing  I  have  no 
parisli  of  my  own,  nor  prol)al)ly  ever  sliall.  Wiiom  then 
shall  I  hear?  (lod  or  man':'  I  look  upon  all  the  world  as 
my  parish ;  thus  fai  I  mean,  that,  in  whatever  part  of  it  I 
um,  I  j'lilge  It  meet,  rijjht  and  my  hounden  duty  to  declare 
unto  all  that  are  willinj,'  to  hear,  the  >,'lad  tidings  of  sal- 
vation. "  ' 

Bishop  Gibson,  whose  interview  with  the  Wesleys  is  men- 
tioned earlier  in  this  cliapter,  showed  in  his  later  references 
a  more  pronounced  antagonism  to  their  mission,  classing 
them  with  "Deists  and  I'apists,"  and  condemning  their  re- 
spective errors  as  "greatly  prejudicial  to  religion  and  danger- 
ous to  the  souls  of  men."  .\n  anonymous  tract  ascribed  to 
him,  and  which  at  least  received  his  ai)proval,  vigorously 
berated  Whitefield  for  violating  Church  discipline;  the 
Wesleys  for  having  had  the  etVrontery  "to  preach  in  the 
fields  and  other  open  places,  and  by  public  advertisements 
to  invite  the  rabble  to  be  their  hearers"  ;  and  the  Methodist.s 
in  general  for  daring  to  remain  in  the  Anglican  communion. 
Gibs(m  returned  to  his  arraignment,  describing  them  as 
"enemies  of  the  Churcli  who  give  shameful  disturbance  to 
the  parochial  clergy,  and  use  every  unwarrantable  method 
to  prejiuliw  their  people  against  thcin  and  to  seduce  their 
flocks  from  them."  Wesley  kept  silent  as  long  as  silence 
seemed  wise,  but,  notwithstanding  his  esteem  for  the  epis- 
copal office  and  for  Gibson  personally,  he  now  felt  that  the 
bishop  had  exceeded  all  l)ouiids,  and  he  published  a  chasten- 
ing rejoinder,  which,  apart  from  its  specific  aim,  deserves 
mention.  The  asseveration  that  the  i)ishop  was  "an  angel 
of  the  Church  of  Christ,  one  of  the  stars  in  God's  right 
hand,  calling  together  all  the  subordinate  j)astors,  for  whom 
he  is  to  give  an  account  to  God,  and  directing  them  in 

'  L.  Tyorman  :   "Life  and  Times  of  John  Wesley" ;   Vol.  I,  p.  235. 


'  !i   .il 


ni 


if 


I" 


■    t 


\    ' 


11 


:i()4 


TllltKK    KKLKiKilS    I.KADKUS   or   OXKOUO 


i 


I 


V   i 


!  i 


i     ! 


the  iijiinc  of  tlii'  Krt'Mt  Slicplicrd  ..I"  the  s|i(r|..  tlir  First 
IH'ottcM  from  fh..  .load"  is  ..n,'  cf  tlu-  ii(.l.|,.>t  jwissaKcs 
Ursli'.v  cv.T  |Hiinr.|.  Hi.  ,iiKniifi,-,i  r.hiikf  was  a.c.in- 
pamcd  l)y  an  arpiiiuiit  wliich  dwelt  ii|).m  the  lircakdowu 
of  tho  parochial  systcin  and  vindicated  Mctli.idi>ni  as  a 
source  of  supply  f(.r  the  religious  needs  of  the  people.  He 
concluded  with  a  solemn  warning  which  reversed  their  posi- 
tions, leaving  the  a^ed  diocesan  the  accused  and  himself 
tile  accuser:  "My  lord,  the  time  is  short;  1  am  past  the 
noon  of  life,  and  my  remaining  days  flee  awav  as  a  shadow, 
'ioi.r  lordship  is  old  and  full  of  days.  It  cannot,  therefore, 
he  long  before  we  shall  hotii  drop  this  house  of  earth,  and 
stand  naked  hefore  (mmI  ;  no,  nor  before  w.-  shall  see  the 
great  white  throne  coming  down  from  heaven  and  He  that 
sitteth  thereon.  .  .  .  Will  you  then  rejoice  in  your  success  ? 
The  Lord  Cod  grant  it  may  not  be  said  ii'i  that  hour. 
'These  have  jn'rished  in  their  iniquity:  but  their  blood  I 
require  at  thy  hands.'" 

^  The  ne.\t  episcopal  assailant,  (".corge  Lavingtoii,  liishop  of 
E.xeter,  was  incomparably  inferior  to  Uutlerand  also  to  Gibson. 
Following  the  usual  line  of  Knglishmen  <.f  the  day,  who  at 
once  assigned  any  beliefs  or  actions  they  <li(l  n(.t  understand 
to  the  malignant  machinations  of  Rome,  he  publislied  in  1749 
an  am)nymous  pamphlet  entitled,  "The  Knthusiasm  of 
Methodists  and  Papists  comi)ared."  This  precious  produc- 
ti(m,  which  was  nothing  lutter  than  a  continent  of  mud, 
was  issued  in  two  parts,  the  last  i)eing  worse  than  the  first.' 
His  attack  sank  to  its  lowest  depth  of  vileness  when  La\  Im;,'- 
toii  pretended  to  argue  that  the  Kleusinian  mysteries,  uith 
their  gross  physical  symbolism,  were  "a  strange  svstem  of 
heathen  Methodism."  Wesley  could  well  have  afforded  to 
Ignore  such  scurrility;  but  the  natural  man  in  him  pre- 
vailed, and  he  met  Lavington  with  a  naked  blade,  exposing 
his  garbled  quotations,  limping  logic,  and  bad  grammar,  and 
ending  by  indignantly  challenging  him  to  come  out  from  his 
hiding  place   and   drop  his  mask.      This   unusual   l)urst   of 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


305 


rijjlitfoiis   iiKlinnation   iliil    not    prcvnit    liitii    from    ImviiiK 
later  and  frit-ndly  intiTcuiirsc  with   l-avin«ti>M.     Tlu-y  int-t 
in  tilt-  autnnni  of  I7(>_',  ami  partook  of  tin-  Lord's  SupixT 
top'tlur.     Tlif  lii>lio|)  diftl  a  tVw  \\ctk>  later,  and  liis  epi- 
taph in  Kxeter  Cathedral  euloj;ize>  him  a>  an  overseer  "wlio 
nevt-r  eea^eil  to  improve  lii>  talents  nor  to  employ  tliein  to 
the  nol)le>t  purposes;  ...  a  Man,  a  ("hri>tian,  and  a  I'rel- 
ate,  jirepariMl,  liy  haliitiial  meditation,  to  resijjn  life  without 
H'jiret,  to  meet  death  without  terror."      it  wciuld  he  difficult 
to   identify  from  thi>  description  the  unscrupulous  contro- 
versialist   whose   prevarications   and    invectives  earned   the 
eoutt'inpt  of  rij;ht-minded  men.     Ti-n  years  after  the  Lavin^- 
ton    ei)i>ode    Warhurton    reappeared,    and    led    the    van    of 
mitred   hrcthren   and   collc>;e  dons  against   these  detestable 
rene>;adt's  who  menacrd  the  peace  of  the  conununity.     Origi- 
nally   intendeil    for   the    law,    Warhurton    had   drifted    into 
divinity,    carrying'    with    him    tiiose    i)U)rnacious   tendencies 
and  arro>;ancies  whicli  were  hit  olf  in  the  ])hrase,  "There  is 
hut   one   (!od,   and    Warhurton    is    Mis   .\ttorney-(leneral." 
Vet,  overhearing,  reckless,   and   ahusive  as   he   was,   he  did 
not   hide  under  anonymity,  and   the  vi>;or  and   honesty  of 
his  attacks  made  him  a  formidahle  opponent.     The  last  aiul 
the    most    liouoralile    of    anti-Methodist    l)ishoi)s    was    Dr. 
(leorfie  Ilorne,   President  of  Maplalen  College,  afterwards 
ai)pointed  to  the  see  of  Norwicli.      lie  entered   the  dehate 
when  its  virulence  had  suh>ideil.  and  in  any  case  his  amiable 
and  refined  di>i)osition  ma<le  it  im|)os>ible  for  him  to  proceed 
to  the  extremes  of  the  earlier  disputants.     While  sincerely 
believiu);  that  Methodi>m  led  to  .\ntinomian  practices,  he 
was    amenable    to    correction,    and    thirty    years    later,    ou 
Wesley's  asking  for  the  u-e  of  a  church  in  Norwich,  Home 
assured  the  iiicuml)eut  that    there    was  no  reason  to  refuse 
the  re(|uest. 

So  far  nothing  had  occurred  to  separate  Methodism 
from  the  parent  Church:  Wesley  still  rci^arded  his  Societies 
and  helpers  as  existing'  rolely  for  tiie  purposes  of  religious 


•  ('• ' 


Ml. 


(    r 


;:^i 


II 


f! 


I 


I' 


h 


i    , 


N 


1  i 


:«)<) 


TIIKKK    HKLKilors    LKADKUS   OF   OXFORD 


cultiiri',  an<l  despite  the  stniiiie.l  relatiojis  tlu>y,  like  their 
l-'oiiiider.   were  Inyal  ineiiil.ers  of  the  Kstal.li>hiiieiit.     The 
Xoiieonforinists    had    their  .»\vii    ministry  and   ordinances, 
l)Ut  Wesley  Was  earefiil  to  avoid  institutiiij;  either,  or  in  any 
way  needlessly  ollendinj,'  the  suseejuiliilities  of  the  elerj;y. 
He  nsed  difleretit  names  for  his  organizations,  and  insisted 
that  they  should  meet  at  other  than  the  stated  times  for 
Anglican    servie.-s.     JMirther,    his    followers    were    nrjjed    to 
attend    their  resiM-etive  parish   ehnrehes  and   to  (•(.mmuni- 
cate    there.      I'nfortiinately,  in  many  instanees    tiiey   were 
rudely  treated,  and  jriven  to  understand  that  they  were  iii- 
Krates    and    rehels.      As    they    increased    in    numhers,    this 
<leprivation  was  deeply  felt,  and  the  Wesleys  were  jjlad  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  olfcr  of   Mr.  Deleznot,  a  Huguenot 
pastor,   to  lend   them   his   sanctuary  in    llermitafje  Street, 
Wai)j)inK,  for  the  atlministration  of  the  Lord's  Su|)per.     A 
thousanil  inemhers  from  the  Koundery  partook  of  the  Ku- 
oharist  there;   and  Charles  Wesley  was  form!  to  administer 
it  to  the  Kin^swood  Society  in  their  school  l)uildin);,  declar- 
ing, stout  cleric  though  he  was,  that,  if  no  ..ther  place  had 
lieen  .iccessihle,  la-  would  liav»-  communicated  in  the  open. 
In  the  last  decades  of  Wesley's  life  a  marke.l  reaction  was 
perceptihie  among  the  clergy  themselves,  many  of  whom 
found  matter  for  reflection  in  the   marvelous   changes   for 
the   hetter  which   his   work   had   wrought.     An  attitude  of 
tolerancv  foinid   its  way   into  their  common   habits   by   a 
I)rocess  of  pacific  |)enetration.     Kvangelical   sentiments"  be- 
gan to  leaven  the  Anglican  fold,  and  some  who  could  not 
a<lopt  Wesley's  methods  nevertheless  yielded  to  his  teach- 
ing.    This  doubtless  contributed  to  his  prohmged   but  im- 
practicable attempt  to  maintain  the  fiction  of  union  between 
Anglicanism  and   Methodism,  in  which  there  could  be  little 
meaning  so  long  as  the  two  communions  were  dissimilar  in 
spirit  and   practice,  and  the  clergy  strove  to  unchurch  tin- 
converts    who,    as    they    supposed,    outraged    ecclesiastical 
procedure.     The  growing  impossibility  of  such  a  relation  al 


'•'.  '1 


(i  ' 


1i 


•lOlIN    WKSI.KY 


307 


last  (liiwiip*!  on  lii^  n-liirtiint  iniii.l.      Il«'  wa>  lu.t  I«-sh  |Mr(T|). 
tivi-  than  ..tli.TN  tlioii>;li  in  this  iii>tiiii(r  l.ss  willing'  to  admit 
the  llist^l•s^illK  Ixit   palimMf  .'act  of  whicli   hv  wToW  tlir.r 
vnirs  hffon- his  .Icath.      \  kin.l  of  ..parati-.n   lias  alrni.ly 
taken   |)la(r  an.l   will   iiuvital.ly   >|)rfa<l.  tlin.uj;!.  >lo\v  .1.- 
>{rws."     \u-  also  a.ldrisMil  a   rcnionstranir  to  one  of  tin- 
l,isliop>.  and   said.   "Tlu'   Mctliodi-t.  in  p'M'ral,  n.y  lord, 
an-  incinlMTs  of  t\\v  Chnnli  of  Kn>;land.     Tiu-y  lu.id  all  lur 
doctrines,  attend  lier  servi<e,  and  partake  of  lier  sicranients. 
Tlie\  donot  willingly  do  harm  t(.  any  one,  ImiI  <Io  what  p.o.l 
they  can  to  all.     tI>  enconra^e  each  other  h.rein,  they  fre- 
•luently  spend  an  hour  together  in  prayer  ami  mutual  exhor- 
tation.    IVrinit  me  then  to  ask,  Ciil  I""'"'   for  what   rea- 
sonal)le  en<l  would  your  lordshij)  <lrivc  the>e  peoi)lc  out  of 
the  Church y     .\re  they  not  as  (piiet,  a-  inotVeiisivc,  nay,  as 
pious,  as  any  of  their  neinhhor^?     Hxcei)t  |.erhap-<  here  and 
there  a  hairhrained  man,  who  knows  not  wliat  he  is  al.ont. 
Do  you  ask,  'Who  drivo  them  out  of  tlie  Church ?"     Your 
lonlship  (Uk's;    and   tiiat   in   the   most   cruel   maimer.  .  .  . 
They  desire  a  licrnse  to  worshii)  (!<«!  after  their  own  con- 
seiem-e.     Ycmr  lordshii)  refuses  it  ;   and  then  pnni>he.  them 
for  not  haviuK  a  license,     ."^o  your  lor.lship  leaves  them  (.nly 
this  alternative,  '  b-ave  the  Church  or  starve.'"  ' 

Of  all  ideas  toleration,  while  so  much  K>s  than  equality, 
would  seem  to  he  the  very  last  in  the  pneral  mind.  When 
the  fervid  i)ioneers  of  Methodist  principles  struck  directly  at 
the  wickedness  of  their  <lay,  they  could  not  lon«  e>cai)e  the 
reseuMnent  and  then  the  violence  of  the  inoh.  incited  l.y 
ipiorance  and  drink,  and  sometimes  l.y  the  cler^'y  or  their 
ajjents.  Lawless  outbreaks  occurred  in  the  Midlands,  the 
North,  Cornwall,  an<l  Ireland.  The  local  parsons  and  mag- 
istrates frequently  ahetted  the  persecution,  an.l  dealt  har>lily 
with  its  victims.  These  administrators  of  petty  justice 
were  infuriated  by  the  vehement  exhortations  wliicii  hurst 
upon  their  iiei>;hl»orhoo<ls,  opprcs>ed  as  they  were  l)y 
'  L.  Tyernian  :   'Lifo  iiiid  Times  of  John  Wosl.y"  ;    Vol.  III.  \>.  Hi:!- 


1. 


I 


rifi 


sma 


:m)s 


I  i 


TIIKKK    UKIJdIOl  s    I.KADK'JS   (»K   »».\K(»HI) 


wroiiKiiiKl  ^ihIiIi'ii  ill   |ii.\,.rf.\  ami  \iir.     TIkv  Inuk.d  upon 
tin-   I'vaiipli^t-.   UN  ciiiinic^   <if   tlir    |Ka(c.  ur  ji-.  Jesuits  in 
•  lispiisc.       Iliitc   jinil    (■iiiiiiiiiiv ,    >ii|Mr-.titii.ii    mul    liipitry, 
fonml    vent    in    tniiii.x    pliMo.    ami   miwlic      nmn'    tliaii   at 
WVdncsl.iirv   in   Statlor.Miir.',  a    town  whidi   Juc   l..ii«  siiur 
HtoiK'ii   for  it>  i.ntra>;r..iis  trcatinnit   ..»'  \Vr>l.y  liy  its   loy. 
alty  to  liini  and   to  his  Clnir.li.     During;  the  snniin.T  ami 
autntnn  of  I7»;i  houses  ami  sliop^  were  plnmlcrc.l  ami  Kntt.-.l, 
tla-ir  contents  destroyed,  and  the  o(cii|)a!it>  maltreated,  the 
inenihers  ,.f  the  Soeiefv   iM'inj;  in  h.airiv   jeopardy.     Wedey 
write-,  "I  received  a  full  account  of  tiie  icrril.lc  riots. 
I  was  not  siirf.rised  at  all;    neither  should  I  lia\.    uomlered 
if.  after  the  advice  they   had   -.o  oft<n   reived    from   the 
FMilpit  as  well  as  from  the  episcopal  chair,  the  /ealoiis  hinli 
churchmen   had   rose  ami  cut  all  that    were  Methodists  iti 
pieces."'     The  sitiir'.ion,  created  liy  tin'  iiiiwIm'  conduct  of 
the  preacher  in  char^'e,  a^Kravated  li\  theaiit.'r\  protestations 
of  Mr.   KKffinton,  the  local  clergyman,  and  i.y  the  vicious 
proiH-nsities  of  the  miners  and  iron  worl   r-,  \\  ho  were  e\en 
worse  than  those  of  Kin^-wood  or  the  kcelmen  of  Newcastle, 
compelled    a    suspension    of    Methodist      .  rvicr.    f,,r     ..mt' 
weeks,  and  finally  rnpiird  the  i>ersoiial  attciiti,,ii  of  Wedey 
iiimseif.       He    nnle    into    the    tour     ..n    OetoJMr    JO,    anil 
preached   at    noon   in   the  open   air.      PLree   liour>   later  a 
turluilent  crew   appeared   hefor.    tl„.   |„,„,,.   ^^|„,,.,,   |  ,,   ^^..^^ 
stayiu};,  and  demanded  that  he      .iiuld  come  fortli.     .\fter 
some  parh'yinj:,   he  aceomp,     ieii    'iieni   to  the  niairistrate, 
wh(.,  heiiiK  in    l,ed,  refiiM-d    r..    see    them,    and    u  ho,e    mm! 
atlvisod    the    rin«l«-aders    ih,.;     the.v     diinild    r  lease    their 
captive  and  (pii<tly  disp. tm       Ii,-.tea(l.  they  tni.iired  on  to 
Walsall,  an  adjacc  it  towi  .    vhere  aiiothir  m.-i^'istratt    also 
declined    to    intcrcre.      The    hm.I.    had     scarcely    h'ft     the 
place   hefore  a   scoml   and   in. .re  dai  u'en.iis  one  apjicarcd, 
led  by  the  doimlity  pri/-'  fi;;ht,  r.  '•!,  ..lest  Munchin,"  and' 


'  ".(oiiriial    of    .l.iliii    U  ■•si-\ 
Vol.  HI.  ,,.  7'J. 


•.Iit.'.l    I, 


N'olirriiiali     (  'uriiock  , 


J«»IIN    WKSLKY 


:UHJ 


s..«'pt  all  iM'fDrr  it.  \\i>lr.\  \\a>  now  at  tin-  niiTcv  nf  this 
roiitiiiKnit,  ami  fi>r  a  tiim-  his  jilc  wii-*  in  tiTuxf  peril. 
Tlu'M'  "H«T<f  Kiihrsian  IxaMs,"  a>  hi^  limtluT  Charlts 
tfrnicd  tlinn,  crinl  "Kill  him  I"  ami  miuh-  r\«ii  attiinptnl 
tohrain  him  with  tluir  iiulpN.  Hut  hi>  tran(|uil  «lcnn-anor 
sulMliit'd  thuM'  Miarc-t  to  him.  and  the  n^t  nhiitantl\  fell 
hack  while  he  pa^M.I  thrminh  their  iniiUt  ami  returned  to 
Weilne^luirv ,  eMortetl  In  a  I>ih|\  unanl  recruited  from  their 
own  ranks.  The  next  morning,  a>  he  mde  thmn^th  the  town, 
he  was  silnted  with  suih  lordial  atV-etion  th.it  he  eould 
seareelv  l>elie\e  what  he  ha<l  seen  and  heard.  Charles,  who 
niet  him  at  NottinKhain.liruiMd, tattered,  and  torn,  said  that 
he  looked  like  a  soldier  of  ( 'hri-t  fresh  from  the  fray. 

Otliers  were  not    >o  fortunate.     'I'lioinas  Walsh  was  iin- 
priMiiHMl   at    Hrai'.don.  and   took   his   reveii^'e   lt.\    preaehiuK 
throu^'h  the  harred  witulows  of  his  cell  to  the  crowd  oiitsiile. 
Alexander  Mather^  lionse  was  pulled  ahout  his  ears  in  Wol- 
verhampton, and  at   Moston  in  Lincolnshire  he  was   left    for 
(lead.     \\  'SOrk,   lohn  Nelson  wa-  lieateii  into  imeonscious- 
iies>,  ami  afterwards  forced  to  eiili-t  in  the  army.     Thomas 
Olivers  wa-  ])nrsiied  at  ^'artnonth,  and  hardy  escaped  with 
his  life.     The  list   of   these  veterans  of   the  ( 'ros>   could  ho 
extended  inilefitiitel> .     From   17  IJ  to  IT.'tO  hardly  u  month 
elai)scd   without     refereiict-s    in   Wesley\    .Journal    to   simi- 
lar   seeno.     At    Peiifield    a    halted    hull    wa>    let    loose    on 
the  <'oni;repition ;    and   at    I'lymouth   and    Holton   howling 
fanatic-,  dancing'   with   ra^'e  siieh   as  had   never  heen   seen 
hefore   in   creatures  called    men,   himted   the   preacher   like 
a    pack  of  wolves.     There   is   nowhere   a  hint  that  any   of 
these     hnml.le    helpers    retreated     hefore     such     outrages: 
indee<l  they  showed   the  same  fortitude  and  coura>;e  which 
were    clia.'cteristic    of    the    Wesleys.     .Sune,   liki-   Thomas 
Walsh,    died    while    still    nouiii::     others    lived    to    see    the 
harvests  that,  in  the  ahiitidance  of  their  reaping:,  redeemed 
the  tears  and    Idood    in   whicii   they    had    heeii  sown.      The 
mea'iest   peasants  rose  ahove  the  sorrow  and   confusion  of 


I 


i« 


1  ■     i 


M5 


TiOTi'ifi 


11 


310     THREK    RELIGIOUS    LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

the  time,  and  took  a  part  in  tin-  nioldinj;  of  the  destinies 
of  the  nation.  Moh  leaders  heeaine  class  leaders,  and 
directed  their  prowess  toward  spiritnal  ends.  The  pugilist 
who  was  foremost  in  the  Wedneshury  riot  afterwards  jointnl 
the  Society  there,  and  made  a  good  confession  of  his  faith. 
The  services  of  the  growing  ("hurch  were  conducted  by  lay 
preachers  and  itinerants  who  had  once  purposed  to  <lestroy 
it,  but  now  glaflly  yielded  ol)e<lience  to  the  leader  whose 
genius  compacted  them  into  a  healthy  and  harmonious 
organization. 


CHAFr^U  VIII 
CONSOLIDATION  AND  EXPANSION 


Ml 


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The  eiKxli  ends,  the  world  is  still, 

The  iifte  has  tuik'd  and  work'd  its  fill  — 

The  famous  orators  have  shone. 

The  famous  piK'ts  sunn  and  ^one. 

The  famous  men  of  war  have  fouj-lit, 

The  famous  s|MH'ulators  thoiislit. 

The  famous  players,  seulptors,  wrought, 

The  famous  painters  fill'd  tiieir  wall, 

The  famous  erities  judged  it  all. 

The  combatants  are  parted  now  — 

Uphung  tile  spear,  unlH-nt  the  how, 

The  puissant  erown'il,  the  weak  laid  low. 

And  in  the  after  silence  sweet, 

Now  strifes  are  hush'd,  our  ear  doth  meet. 

Ascending  pure,  the  liell-iike  fame 

()f  this  or  that  down-trodden  name, 

Delicate  s|)irits,  pusJiM  away 

In  the  hot  press  of  the  noon-day. 

And  o'er  the  plain,  where  the  dead  age 

Did  its  now  silent  warfare  wage  — 

O'er  tiiat  wide  plain,  now  wrapt  in  glof)m. 

Where  many  a  splendor  *inils  its  tomh. 

Many  spent  fames  and  fallen  mights  — 

The  one  or  two  inunortal  lights 

Rise  slowly  uj)  into  the  sky 

To  shine  there  everlastingly. 

Like  stars  over  tiie  l>ounding  hill. 

The  epoch  ends,  the  world  is  still. 

Matthew  Aiinold:  Uankamilia;  or  the  New  Age. 


■M2 


1 


CHAPTER   VIII 


CONSOLIDATION    AND    EXPANSION 


• 


Wesley's  withiirawiil  from  Fetter  Lane  —  The  Foimdery  —  Contro- 
versy witli  Wliitefielil  —  Sermon  on  Free  Ctrun-  and  Predestina- 
tion —  Continuaiice  of  ('alvinisti<'  controversy  —  Toplatly  —  Tlionias 
and  Rowland  Hill  -  Wesley's  clerical  supporters—  Fletcher  and  (Jrim- 
shaw  —  Lay  Preachers  —  Their  sutferin>;s  —  Wesley's  care  for  them 
—  The  ("lass  Meeting  and  other  MetluMiist  institutions  —  First  Meth- 
(MJist  Conference  —  Wesley's  tlieolojiical  position  —  MetluHiism  in 
North  America  —  Pliilip  F,ml)ury  and  Harlmra  Heck  -  Hishop  As- 
hury  -  Bishop  Coke  — Wesley  and  Coke's  ordination  —  Deed  of 
Declaration  —  Death  of  Charles  Wesley  —  Last  Days  of  John  Wesley. 


i  I 


I 

Bkfore  MethfMlisni  was  solidified  and  shaped  to  his  pur- 
pose, Wesley  had  to  encounter  internal  as  well  as  external 
strife.  Nor  is  this  to  he  wondered  at,  in  view  of  its  recent 
orifiin,  the  dissimilar  views  of  its  supporters,  and  the 
enthusiasm,  not  always  salutary,  of  its  converts.  The 
Fetter  Lane  Society,  foimded  on  the  advice  of  Peter  Bolder, 
and  composed  chiefly  of  Moravians,  showed,  as  early  as  17!19, 
the  inherent  ditt'erences  which  separated  (ierman  and  Angli- 
can tyjK's  of  religious  life.  For  a  time  Wesley  calmed  the 
contentious  spirits,  hut  the  exuheraiice  of  his  followers 
was  repugnant  to  the  passivity  of  the  Moravian  group, 
whose  leader,  I'hilip  Molther,  advised  the  discontinuance  of 
rea<ling  the  Scriptures,  of  prayer,  and  of  good  works.  He 
urged  that  exjiectant  helievers,  rmdisturhed  hy  such  employ- 
nents,  might  passively  await  the  assured  fidfiUinent  of  the 
promises  of  the  (lospel.  Once  estahlishiHl  in  this  manner, 
they  were  at  liherty  to  observe  or  neglect  the  ordinances,  as 
they  saw  fit.     Wi-sley  continued  to  act  as  iH-ace-maker,  en- 


.  ■  I 


'    'H 


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H  ■    i, 


'if  >l! 


314      THUKK    UKLKilOUS   LKADKFtS  OK   OXFORD 

<l."nv..rinf:  In  sriison.-.l,!,.  i„.an>  t..  <„rrc.f  an  attitu.l,.  wl,ich 
WM.I.I  hav,.  kill.Ml  his  ..nt,.r,,ris,-.  But  tlu-  ouU-mw  was 
su,h  as  jnifiht  l.avr  l„rn  ,-xiK-<t.".l,  a.i.l  lu-  aiul  Charles 
wore  at  last  .•..nviiur.l  that  any  further  attempt  at  union 
Utwee,,  Moravianisn.  an.l  .M,.th.Klis,n  w.ml.l  he  a  surrender 
of  the  HJeals  of  l.„th  for  the  sake  of  a  trnuK.rarv  truee. 
()"  ...ly  (1.  I7|(.,  ,h,.  Sneiety  resolve.1  that  Joh.;  shoul.i 
iK.t  Uv  all.m-e,l  f.  preach  then-  again.  On  the  following 
l-<.r.l  s  Day  eveiung  he  aros,.  in  his  place  an.l  read  u  hrief 
explanation  of  his  position,  which  amonj;  other  things  con- 
travene.1  the  Moravian  teachiuK  concerning  or.linances. 
After  this  he  and  a  few  syiiii)athizers  \vitli<ire\v 

They   rep-.ired   to  the  Foun.l.Ty.  where  their  associates 
gia.lly  receive.!  them  int..  a  union  which  hecam,.  tlu"  Hrst 
d.stmctiv..  M,.tho.list  Society,  itself  tlu>  unit  of  the  future 
Ihurch       I  he   outc.nu'   of  tliese   int.-n,  -in,'  troubles   was 
deci.le.lly  helpful  to  Wesley's  efforts,  which  n.,w  ha.l  a  free 
c.mrse.      The    Koun.l.ry  remained    his    hea.lquarters    until 
l.jS,  when  City  Uoa.l  Cha,,el  was  ere.te.l.      As  t>-e  name 
nuli.^.tes.  it  was  f.,rmerly  a  government  ordnance  factorv 
which,  alter  l.eing  wrecke.1  In    an  explosion,   lav  in   ruins 
until  purchased  l,y  Wesley.      Here  he  estal.lishe.l  his  ,le,..t 
for  religious  literature;  the  .-difice  was  consecrate.!   l.v  the 
presence  ..t   his  veneral.le  m..ther.  who  spent  her  last  ".lavs 
within  its  precincts,  an.!  die.!  *      •>  „„  July  ^i    174->      Ti,e 
'»'il<li"^'  St.....!   in   Win,!mill  S       t,  n.-ar  Kinslnirv  Square 
an.l    has   long    siiue    .lisappeare.l ;    th.-    pres,.nt    Weslevaii 
M,th...l,st   l}.,ok    Room   an.l   City   Uoa.l    Chapel    are  coii- 
tigiim.s  t..  Its  site,  an.l  continue  its  sacre.l  tra.litions 

Although  his  int.Tcourse  with  the  M..ravians  was  now  at 
an  en.l,  ^\esley  always  realize.l  his  .-xtensive  ..l.ligati..ii  to 
such  m.-n  as  I'et.r  Hohl.r  an.!  Christian  Davl.l  The 
separata.!,  was  .ii.taf.l  l,y  his  c..nviction  that  he  ha.l  gone 
alin..st  t..,.  far  for  safet>-  in  the  .lirecti..n  of  their  mvs- 
ticism;  when  thi.  was  renu..!ie.l,  he  recall.-d  them  with 
gratitu.le.  a.ul    his    later  references    t.>  them   were   kindlv 


^1      1 


JOHX    WKSLKY 


315 


and  n'spoctful.  Nor  was  his  rimtion  unjvistified  :  liad  he 
not  halted  and  rt-ahjiiu-d  his  forct's,  he  would  haxe  forfeited 
to  an  artifieial  peace  tlie  resjwnsihilities  and  results  of  half 
a  century's  war  u|)on  sin  in  all  its  forms,  secret  or  open. 
"Stand  still  I"  was  their  exhortation.  "Necessity  is  laid 
upt)n  ine;  I  nuist  iH)  forward,"  was  the  sul)stance  of  liis 
reply. 

Far  more  imi)ortant  in  its  scope  and  results  was  the 
doctrinal  dispute  between  Whitefield  and  Wesley.  In 
this  case  the  dofjma  of  i)redestination  was  the  cause  of 
dissension, —  tliat  (lordian  knot  which  no  tlieolonian  nor 
l)hilosopher  can  initie ;  the  insoluhle  prohlem  of  Divine 
Sovereignty  and  the  freedom  of  human  will  as  hearing  on 
mortal  destiny.  We  have  observed  that  durin<;  his  prej)- 
aration  for  the  ministry  Wesley  had  revolted  apiinst  the 
extreme  interpretation  of  the  .Vnglican  article  which  t'eats 
on  the  question,  and  that  his  mother  agreed  with  liim.  His 
view  was,  that  while  Omniscience  nec«'ssaril\'  foreknew 
men's  future  state,  that  state  was  entirely  determined  by 
their  own  act  of  jwrsonal  accei)tance  or  rejection  of  the 
Gosi)el.  In  1740,  he  published  his  sermon  on  "Free  (Irace,  " 
preached  in  the  previous  sununer.  It  was  the  utterance  of 
oiu'  who  saw  only  a  few  grea*  principles,  but  exi)ounilcd 
them  with  clarity  and  earnestness.  The  Calvinistic  tiieory 
of  election  was  summed  <ip  as  follows :  "  Hv  virtue  of  an 
eternal,  unehangealtle,  irresistible  decree  of  God,  one  part 
of  numkind  are  infallibly  saved,  and  the  rest  infallibly 
da.  "d  ;  it  being  impossible  that  any  of  the  former  should 
be  (1.  uied,  or  that  any  of  the  latter  should  be  saved.  To 
say  that  Christ  does  not  intend  to  save  all  siiniers  is  to 
represent  Ilim  as  a  gross  deceiver  of  the  people,  as  mocking 
His  hapless  creatures,  as  pretending  the  love  which  He  had 
not.  He  in  whose  mouth  was  no  guile,  you  make  full  of 
deceit,  void  of  common  >iucerity.  Such  blasphemy  a^  tliis 
one  would  think  might  make  the  ear  of  a  Christian  to  tingle. 
So  docs  this  doctrine  represent  the  most  holy  God  as  worse 


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316     THREE   RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

than  the  devil,  as  both  more  false,  more  cruel,  aiul  more 
unjust. 

Miss  We(lgwo(Kl  siK-aks  of  the  "provoking  Klil)ness"  of  the 
discourse,  and  of  Wesley's  incapacity  for  perceiving  difh- 
euties   "which   is  the  characteristic  of  an  carh    stape  of 
nilture."     He  certainly  <li,|  not  meet  the   argument  that. 
If  the  design   of    Christ   is  to  save  all   and   the   result    is 
He  only  saves  some,  His  work  is  to  that  extent  a  failure. 
Nor  can  the  horrors  of  the  lost  he  extenuated  bv  relieving 
the  Almighty  of  responsibility  for  their  doom.     Man's  free 
will  IS  a  transparent  mockery  if,  too  weak  to  stand  alone   he 
IS  placed  amidst  tcn.irtatioiis  which  inevitablv  seduce  the 
masses  of  mankind  and  consign  them  to  eternal  reprobation. 
Neither  reason  nor  revelation,  wisely  interprete<l,  entirely 
supports  the  eschatology  of  the  Arminian  or  that  of  th'e 
(  alvnust.     They  do  not  warrant  the  notion  of  eternitv  as  a 
perpetual   prolongation  of  time:   it  is  rather  one    of    the 
attributes  of  Him  Who  is  incomprehensible,  and  t!..-ologians 
invade  His  Being  when  they  thus  attempt  to  measure  or 
announce  His  ju.lgmcnts.     Out  of  this  invasion  have  aris.-n 
certain   repulsive  conceinions  of  the  penalties  of  perdition 
for  which  there  is  often  but  a  slight  basis  of  truth.      Yet 
Wesley's  chastisement  of  (^ilvinism  was  an  effective  effort 
to  modify  the  awful  <logma  which  left  nothing  to  human 
choice,  an.l  to  soften  the  pitilessness  of  a  theologv  which 
protected  its  logic  at  the  expense  of  «>ver\-  instinct  (.f  justice 
Notwithstanding   Peter  Bohler's  crude  assertion  that  "all 
the  damned  souls  would  hereafter  be  brought  out  of  hell  " 
for  "how  can  all   be   universally   redeemed   if  all  are  not 
finally    saved,"    Wesley    heartily    accepted    the    orthodox 
teachings    concerning    human    depravitv    and    everlasting 
punishment  for  wilful  transgression  of  the  divine  law  and 
conscious  rejection  of  the  divine  mercy.     He  knew  nothing 
of  the  mo<lern  temi)er.  <lceply  felt  by  Protestantism,  which 
assigns  rights  to  man  as  well  as  to  Deitv,  conceiving  of  all 
divine-human   relations  from  an  ethical  rather  than  from 


JOHN   WKSLEY 


317 


an  arbitrary'  standpoint.  One  of  tlio  postulates  of  contein- 
porary  tht-olojiy  is  that  punishment  nnist  he  remedial  if  it 
is  to  be  just,  and  must  terminate  if  it  is  not  to  be  futile.  Nor 
does  he  seem  to  have  eonsideretl  the  im|K'rmanence  of  evil, 
as  St.  John  reveals  it :  a  more  or  less  mundane  phenom- 
enon whieh  passes  away,  in  contrast  to  the  essential  reality 
of  Rood,  which  alone  abides.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  pro- 
claim the  terrors  of  the  Law,  althou>;h  they  were  not  the 
staple  of  his  preaching.  And  it  must  be  remembered  that 
a  more  balanced  opinion  would  have  been  of  little  avail  for 
the  miijority  of  his  audiences,  to  whom  m<Hleration  on  such 
an  issue  mipht  have  appeared  as  a  decision  for,  rather  than 
against,  their  oihmi  wicke<lness.  It  is  a  hard  saying  but  a 
true  one,  and  not  without  support  in  a  more  enligiitened 
age,  that  many  individuals  are  only  moved  by  three  or  four 
circumscribed  fears  :  those  ()f  hungei  ;  of  force  ;  of  law ;  or 
of  the  dread  hereafter.  And  man\  who  heard  Wesley's 
denunciations  with  guilty  and  tremb'ing  hearts  frequently 
proved  that  if  the  fear  of  Gotl  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom, 
the  love  of  Go<l  is  its  end. 

Whitefield,  on  the  otlier  hand,  had  always  leane<l  towards 
the  <loctrinal  position  originally  derived  from  (lenevan 
sources.  Hard  and  consistent  thinking  was  alien  to  his 
nature,  and  his  expositions  of  (\dvinism,  the  most  consistent 
of  systems,  were  fragmentary  and  disjointed.  He  was  con- 
tent in  this  matter  to  submit  to  one  of  tiie  greatest  minds 
tiiat  ever  combined  iK)wer  in  thought  with  etjual  power 
in  sjx-ech  and  action.  Jonathan  Kdwards,  the  foremost 
intellect  America  can  boast,  was  primarily  a  philosopher 
rather  than  a  theologian,  whose  excessive  speculations  marred 
his  religious  thinking,  and  who  used  tliem  to  bring  into  pain- 
ful prominence  those  severe  dogmas  of  the  Puritan  the- 
ocracy, the  reaction  against  which  was  found  in  earlier 
Unitarianism  and  later  in  the  trans(  <  iidentalism  of  Kinerson. 
Under  different  circumstances  this  recluse  of  New  England 
and  Princeton  might  have  de\eloiH'd  a  metaphysical  system 


|i 


I 


ill. 


lil 


.  ^ 


f 


;    I 


lil 


318      THREE    UELIOIOUS   LEADERS   DF   OXFORD 

comparable  for  its  iiitdlrctiial  infliiciuv  with  that  of  iliiiiic 
or  Kant ;  as  it  was,  \\v  dfrivnl  his  chief  inspiration  from  a 
nearly  ohsolet*-  tlicolo^ry  which,  i)ut  for  the  im|H-tiis  he 
suppliixl  its  Hanging  energies,  would  probably  not  have 
known  the  renaissance  it  eiijoyctl.  A  survey  of  his  narrower 
range  sliows  how  steadfastly  credal  fornnihe  jx-rsist,  even 
after  reason  and  truth  seem  to  ha\e  uprooted  them.  Yet, 
if  prophets  have  a  right  to  be  unreasonable,  Kdwards  was 
thus  i)rivileg(-d,  for  he  grasjK'd  the  essentials  on  which 
real  morality  depends,  though,  while  expanding  the  doctrine 
of  the  absolute  Sovereignty  of  (ickI  on  lines  necessary 
to  that  end,  he  carefully  refrained  from  dealing  likewise  with 
others  not  so  necessary  to  his  main  purjM)se.  Even  in  such 
superior  natures  as  his  the  windows  of  the  mind  arc  all  too 
limited  for  an  ample  prosjx'ct  of  things  pertaining  to  other 
worlds  than  this.  .Vnd  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  what- 
ever else  he  did  or  left  undone  Kdwards  knew  how  to  awaken 
the  best  feelings  and  impulses  of  men,  to  stinudate  their 
faith,  and  to  kindle  and  keep  alive  the  religious  zeal  of  the 
commonwealth.  His  writings  are  full  of  spiritual  subtleties 
and  great  verities,  tinged  with  the  nn-lancholy  of  a  lofty 
spirit  who  was  much  misunderstoofl. 

Whitefield's  admirers  were  frecjuently  more  fervent  than 
helpful,  and  their  unqualified  homage  gave  him  no  hint  of  any 
of  his  defects.  .Sir  .lames  Stci)hcn  sjM-aks  of  him  as  "  leaping 
over  a  state  of  i)U[)ilage"  to  become  "at  once  a  teacher  and 
a  dogmatist."  His  convictions  upon  Calvinistic  doctrines 
nnist  have  been  strong,  or  he  would  not  for  a  moment  have 
sacrificed  for  them  his  friendship  with  Wesley.  But  election 
and  reprobation  as  exim-ssed  by  him  were  not  the  scandalous 
Theism  which  their  worst  forms  prescnt«>d.  Their  presence 
can  rather  be  detected  under  such  sweet  and  exultant  phrases 
as  the  "sovereign,"  "electing,"  "distinguishing"  love  of  the 
Kternal  Father,  whose  "irresistible  call"  had  brought  him 
out  of  darkiu'ss  into  the  light  of  "the  chosen";  "a  mere 
earthen  vessel,"  meriting  naught  but  wrath,  but  filled  witli 


.i 


JOHN    NVKSLKY 


31'.) 


un(lcscrve<l  iniTcu's.  'riii>  \vii>  tlic  liiiit-uii^ic  of  tin-  iiiipfis- 
sioiu'd  orator,  wlio  tVlt  tlu-  j)rfMiUf  nf  lii>  iimlifncc.  hut  ilul 
not  coinpn-luMid  tlu'  l>a>ir  plia^c^  of  ('al\  iiii-tic  tcacliiiij;. 

In  Nfw  Knuland  tlicsc  i>rc\ailr(l  for  a  ptrioil  siifficiciitly 
t'Xtt'iuled  to  reveal  tluir  laintMtaiilc  coiiMciiuiices.     Cliiefly 
lu'cause    of   the    slieer    fatali>in   which   M-parate<l   tlu-  ele<-t 
from  tlie  non-elect,  the  cler^iy  opjjommI  the  religious  educa- 
tion of  the  young,  ami  pros<ril)ed  inis>ionar\  activities.     In 
the  Northern  States  >lavery  was  regarded  as  a  regrettahle 
necessity;    helow  Mason  and   Hixon's  line  it  was  accepte<l 
as  a  Scriptural  provision,  hy  which  Whitclield,  among  numer- 
ous other  clergymen,  felt  free  to  profit.     The  mechanical 
and  lifeless  rationalism  i>f  this  theory,  a>  held  hy  ilisciples 
who  had  neither  Edwards'  genius  nor  his  devotion,  created 
endless  disputings,   and   drove   many   people   into  sects  of 
religious    liheralism.     Some    of    these    su])planted    the    im- 
possible an<l  irresponsil)le  egoi>m  wliich  had   hitherto  heen 
postulated  as  the  determinant   of   Divint-  action,  with  the 
ideal  of  God  as  tlie  riiiver>al   Father,  and  of   all    men   as 
essentially   and   permanently    relat<d   to   Him.     Others,    in 
their  relxmnd  from  a  relentless  >y>tcm,  went  mucii  further, 
and    formed   that   rationalizing   ca>te   which    has   heen    an 
influential   factor  in   American    rnitarianism.     Such,  then, 
were  the  beliefs  which  Whitcficld  proposed  to  incorporate 
into  Methodism,  and  had  Wesley  not  anticipate<l  the  pro- 
tests of  Bushnell  and  Beechcr,  the  evolution  of  evangelical 
Christianity  might  have  followed  very  dilVcrent  lines. 

Writing  from  Lomlon  on  .lune  •_'."),  17:!i>,  to  Wesley  at 
Bristol,  Whitefield  refers  with  alarm  to  liis  colleague's 
intention  to  print  a  sermon  on  predestination.  "  It  shocks 
me  to  think  of  it;  what  will  he  tlie  consc(incnces  hut  con- 
troversy? If  people  ask  me  my  ()i)inioii,  wliat  shall  1  il<>"' 
I  have  a  critical  part  to  act.  (iod  cnalilc  me  to  i)chave  aright  1 
Silence  (m  both  sides  will  be  best.  It  is  noised  abroad  al- 
ready, that  there  is  a  division  l)ctween  you  and  nic;  oh.  my 
heart  within  me  is  grieved!"     When  a  copy  of  Wesley's 


1  1    ; 


II 


I 


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I    : 


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I  I! 


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320     TMUKK    UKLKilOLs   LKADKHS  OP  OXFORD 

s.TiiM.n  on  "  In,.  (Jrmr  "  wns  snit  to  Wliitffid.l  at  Savannah 
li.'  ciit.-n.l  into  J,  l.-TiKtl.v  corrrspotKlcncr  with  thr  author' 
whuh.  at   fir>t   air.rtioMat.-  ,„on>;h.  Kfcw   U-ss  coruiliatorv 
as   It    pro.-,,. I,., I.     H,.    pr.,mrc.l    a    formal   answer   to   th'c 

^'■'" "  "'"  *l'i'  spirit  of  .aiidi.l  frinidship  '•;  but  tlu-  fricn.l- 

ship  was  not  so  ohvions  as  thi'  candor.     Charles  Wesh-v  to 
wh.mi  he  >nhn,itted  it  before  pul.lieation.  a.ivised  its  with- 
dra^val      Nevertluless    it    was    luiMished.    and    Whitefield 
n..tihe.l  John  that  luTeaffr  he  was  n'solve.l  to  preach  apiinst 
hull  and  his  l.roth.T  whcrevr  he  went.     WesK-v  remonstrated 
with  him  on  the  iinwis.loin  of  snch  a  course,  and  criticized 
the  pamphlet   for  its   random   rlu-torie  and   fli,)panev.     I,i 
March    1711,  h.-  wrote:    "Mr.  Whitefield,  heinK  returned  to 
Kn^land.  entirely  separated  fn.in  .Mr.  Wesley  and  his  friends 
.cause  they  <li.|  not  hold  th."  .lecre.-s.     Mere  was  the  first 
breach,  winch  warm  nu-n  persuaded  Mr.  Whitefield  to  make 
merely     or  a   .lillcrenc-   of  opinion.     Those   who   believed 
universal  rcrhniption  ha.l  no  desire  to  sej.arate ;    but  those 
wiio    hel.l    particular   re.lemption    would    not   hear   of  anv 
iKrnn.modation.    !„,•.,«  .leterniine.l    to   have   no   fellowship 
with  men  that  were  in  such  dangerous  errors.     So  there  were 
n..w  two  sorts  of  Methodists:  those  for  |.articnlar  an.l  those 
for    peneral    rclemption."'      IIa,>pily,    however,    personal 
rancor    subsided;     Howcl    Harris    interposed    t<.    re<-oncile 
them,  and   \Mutcficl.|   ma.le  a   handsome  apolo^n-  for  the 
allusions  m  hi.  pamphlet  to  Wesley's  habit  of  castiiiR  lots 
On  April  2:!,   174J.  they    spent    '-an    aKfeeable    hour"   t<.^ 
KctluT,  concerning  which  W.slcy  made  the  self-complacent 
JoMunent,  "I  believe  h,-  is  sincere  in  all  he  savs  concerning 
l.is  earnest  desire  of  joiniuK  I'an.l  in  hand  with  all  that  h.ve 
the  Lord  .fous  Christ.     Hut  if  (as  some  would  persuade  me) 
!«■  i^  not,  the  loss  is  all  on  his  own  side.     I  am  just  as  I  am 
i  j:..  on  my  way,  whether  he  p.es  with  me  or  stays  behind."  ^ 

'    'WMry's  Work^'':    Vol.  VIII.  p   ,Tr. 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


321 


A  Irss  (liil)iiius  iHitf  \va^  >trii(k  tnwanl  tin-  cIom-  of  I"')-'), 
wlini  WVsli'y  (U'cliirt'tl :  "  Di^piitinK^  arr  now  no  more; 
we  l()Vt>  oiif  another,  an<l  join  liaiul  in  liaml  to  promote  the 
niiise  of  our  eoiiiinoti  Master."  ' 

But  the  ties  which  prevented  an  irreparahle  lireach  Ih- 
tween  them  <liil  not  Itinil  their  followers,  ami  after  White- 
field's  death  the  eontroversv  iiroke  out  apiin  in  uproar- 
ious fashion.  The  London  Conference  in  1770  M-nt  forth 
a  counterhlast  against  .\ntinomiani>m,  v\liicli  rel)nkcd  this 
deduction  from  Calvinism  for  its  ethical  rather  tliai  for 
its  tlieoloKical  errors.  Lady  llimtinplon,  witii  >ome  oi  the 
ministers  who  inherited  the  work  and  opinions  of  White- 
fij'id,  t<Mik  umhra>;e  at  thi>,  the  more  so  l)ecau>c  Metliodi-m 
was  driftiiiK  away  from  the  Annliian  Churdi.  Her  desire 
that  it  shoulil  remain  within  the  Kstalili-limeiit,  ami  her 
impatience  with  Wesley's  Arminianism,  assumed  sucii  violent 
forms  that  she  vowt'd  she  would  p>  to  the  (lam<s  in  |to- 
test  ajjainst  tlu-  "infamous  Minutes  "  of  the  Conference. 
Whatever  may  have  Ik'cu  her  ladyship's  cra\in;;s  for  nii  'y  •- 
dom,  she  was  apjmrently  more  willini;  to  inflict  pnni  si.,  it 
on  others  than  sulfer  it  herself.  Neither  she  nor  iicr  pa-ijsans 
had  arrived  at  the  state  of  intellectual  freedom  in  which, 
while  holding  to  one's  ow  n  conclusions,  it  is  pos>il)|c  to  liclicve 
that  others  who  think  differently  may  l)e  ri>,'lit,  or,  at  any 
rate,  equally  honest.  .Vccordinniy,  she  sinnrnarily  dismissed 
the  learned  and  al)le  .losejih  Benson  from  his  tutorslii|)  at 
Treveeca  College,  and  even  the  saintly  I'lctchcr  was  so 
harassed  that  he  could  not  remain  there.  Wesley's  maj;is- 
teriai  expostulations  with  the  Countess  had  no  effect:  she 
was  just  as  ac<u.stomcd  as  he  was  to  liavinj;  her  own  way, 
and  "Pope  .John"  and  "  l'oi)e  .loan"  joincij  issue.  The 
Honorable  and  Reverend  Walter  ."shirley  entered  the  lists 
in  aid  of  his  titled  relative,  and  sent  out  a  circular  letter 
declaiming   against    the   action    of   the    Conference.     Tlicir 

'  ".loiiriml  of  Ilev.  John  UC^loy";    cclitoil  l).v  Hov.  Nflii'tiii.ih  Ciirnork  ; 
Vol.  IV,  p.  140. 
Y 


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II 


'{L'2    TIIUHI-;  ia:i,i<;i(»i  s  ijiadkks  ok  (tXKoiji) 


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att;i.k  rn.lr.|  in  a  fi;.,,-,..  tlir  C.m.trs,  s„(r,.r.',|   thr  iinnxml 
<\|"ri.ii,r   of   ;.    .|,.,i,|,.,|    rrMTM'.   .ind   Sliirlcy    f.lt   ..l.li^jcl 

to  l(|ii.|n^izf   I'nr   hi.   Illl^fcinlv    lilllj;i|;i;;c. 

Ili>    Mri.tiirr.   .\nktil    tiic   <l(f.ii>r   of   ,\miiiii;iiii>m    In- 
■Fnhn    ri.trh.r   aii.l   'l'l„,in.i>   Oliv.r^,    wliii,.    Aii^ii.tn,  T-.p- 
lii.i.v .  Sir  'riinmii-  Hill.  ;ii„i  |,i,  |„ttir  known  l.rutli.r  liouliiiid 
'"•'■'•n.c   ih.ir  ;inl;.-niii  t,.     Til.'   lM.n..r>  ..f  thr  ii.r.Mi..nion. 
.liMn^Mun    u.rr   uiih    I'l.lrh.r,    ^^  hn><.   ••(•h,.,.k,   to   Antin.K 
irMiiniMn"  wcrr  nmrc  ,H|ininil.lr  fur  their  (•|iri-tiiiri  tcmiM-r 
tlun  for  Ihnr  |.hilo!-o|,hi. ..I  ^rii~|.  .>t  thr  clifficnlt   proLk'tn. 
Jijx.iit   whi.h   oih.T,   wnuiKk'.l    «hik.   hr  at    kM>t    rcaM.nf.k 
'rn|)ki(l\\  contrilHition.  ari'  lir^t   |.a-r.|  ..vcr  in  cliaritahlr 
Mk'nc.',  in  sifw  of  the  fact  that  he  ua.  the  author  of  on.-  of 
the    noMr>t    hyinn^   in    tht-   kuiKua;.'.'.     Thr   tlirn    vonthfnl 
l!..uk,n.l  IIill\  taktit  was  prrv.Tt.d  to  al.n>iv.- .•pitii.'t>  an.l 
>tn.hf(i  niM.kiMv:    Wr.k'v,  a.conlin^;  to  this  M.n  of  a  lan.l- 
..wninu  Shrop.hir.'    family,    was    "thr   lyinK  apostk-  of  the 
I'onn.kTy  "  :  "a  .k>is,'nin-  wolf  ;  "a  .l.-akT  in  stoK-ti  wan-s"  ; 
"Jis  nnprincipk.l  a-  a  r.Mik  ami  a>  >illy  j.s  a  jark.law."  "  first 
IMlfiririK  hi>  n.iirhi.ors'  phiinap',  an<l   tht-n  p.iii^'  forth  <lis- 
|)liiyinK  hi>  horrow..!  tail  to  th<'  cyf.  of  a  kiii>;liinj;  work)." 
Sii.h   rainpinu  r.ralk.l   I,avint:ton\  rMapa.k-,  ami.   like  it. 
ha.i   no  liraririf:  on   the   .|nr,tion.     Wok-y    rcpluil    to  Hill 
III    lii-   |)ainplikt    .'iititk.l,    "Sonu-    ifcinarks   on    Mr.    Mill's 
Ki'vi.-w  of  all  thf  Doctrin.-,  taM;;lit  l.y  Mr.  John  WVsk-y." 
in    which    he  aK<.   ".Irew    the   Mvor.l   an<l    thn-w   awav  "the 
Mi.l,|,ar.l."     ••!    now   k».k   l)ack,"   sii.l   he.   "..n  a   train   of 
iiH'iilents  that   have  o.nirred   f,,r  many  month-  last   past, 
iiii'l    ii.lore    a    wi-e   iin.l    ;:ra(ion>    l'ro\  i.k'nce.    ordering   ali 
things  w.'li:     When   th.-  circnk.r  k'tter  wa-  first   disperM-d 
throuKhout   (Ireat    IJritain   and    Ir.kin.j.    I   did   not   •■omrive 
tile  immense  p)od  which  Cod  wa-  alxmt  to  hrinj;  ont  of  that 
•  ■\il.      Hut  no  soon.r  <iid  Mr.  net.lier\  first  Letters  appear 
than  the  scene  l.c^an  to  open  :    and  the  de.ij;n  of  IVovideiicc 
opcn.'d  more  anil  more,  when  Mr.  .^hirk'yV  .\arrative  and 
Mr.  Iliir-  I,ctter>.  con-trained  him  to  write  his  Sroml  and 


lii.-. 


! 


i.  J 


1 


KilIN    WK.SM'.Y 


:V2.\ 


Thinl  Cltfck-  to  Aiitin i.ini-ni       It  va-  tliiii  iii.li^|>iitiil>l> 

ch'iir,  tl'iit  hcitlur  iii.\    Im.ilHT  nnr   I   Ii;mI  liMnif  ii   >iilli(init 
t,.,tiii  I  tlir  tnilli.    .    .         I  « ill  111!  ninn   <li-irc  iin\   Ar- 

iiiiniiiii.  .illril,  III  n  iiiiiiii  <iiil\  mi  llif  ilihii^ivc.  Uiitl.cr, 
(■li!i>f  tlifliciiil.  rc|iri.li:itiuii,  tn  lii-  i.wii  Ik  II.  jiihI  <vir>  ilnc- 
tniif  coiiiicilril  witli  ii,  I.I  I  ii'iiif  |>it\  I  r  ^p.iri-  mir  liiiili  <it 
citlitT  ^pfciiliillvr  IT  priiclii-il  Antiiiiiiiii.iiiiMii,  it  i.f  iiii\  <ii>c- 
triiif  tliiit  iiiitiiriiilv  itiiiU  tlicntn ;  utiIv  niiHinlH  tIiik  tliat, 
lu>\\»'VtT  we  iirr  tn-atni  !•>  iim'Ii,  wli"  liavf  a  (li>|M'nsitinii 
fnmi  tiii'vulpirnii  ^i.f  jii>ti<r  ami  iiu  n\ .  wf  arc  not  d.  fi^'lit 
tlu'iu  at  tlirir  nwn  wcapi'iis.  to  return  railing  I'lT  railinc- 
'rii<>s4-  who  picail  tlif  caii-r  i>f  the-  (Ind  of  |n\.-  art'  tu  imitate 
lliiii  they  MTve  ;  ami.  ImweviT  pru\iike<l.  tn  mm-  mo  other 
\vea|)oiis   than    tlioM'   of   truth   ami    love,  of  Seriptiire   ami 

reason."  ' 

Thi^  outspoken  docninent  Mincely  e\ein|>lifi<'il  tlie  eliarity 
it  ailviseil.  I)nt  it  eliniinateil  CalviniMn  from  Metho.li-^t 
theolo^cy.  After  the  pnrilieation  ami  tin-  later  M'<'es>ioM  of 
some  fanatical  ailvoeate>.  of  jk  rfeetinniMii.  We-le.s  tonnd 
himself  at  the  heail  of  a  lininopneoiis  ami  aK;;re->ive  liody. 
(k'livcred  from  doctrinal  nncirtainty.  ami  anin  ted  by 
uiisbukeii  confidence  in  it>  mi-'-ion. 


II 

While  his  independence  of  the  world  lu-lperl  him  to 
know  it  as  no  worldling:  can.  and  to  miard  hi'-  infant  cause 
a>;aiii>t  its  foes,  he  wa--  not  without  tiic  Mcadfa^t  ^ympath.v 
ami  frieniMii])  of  a  j;roui)  of  An^rlican  clcrjrvnicii.  Mime  ot 
whom-toodli\  himti.the  la>t.  'I'lic  fir-t  of  tiic-c  wa- \'inccnt 
I'erronet,  \"icar  of  SluTcham,  Kent,  a  man  of  whom  it  may 
he  said,  in  .h.wett'-  phrase,  that  for  him  thinu-  sicrcd  and 
l)rofane  lay  near  tojrcthcr  hut  yet  were  ncvir  ci.nfuM'd.  Al- 
though seldom  in  the  piiMic  e\e.  he  coUiiM'Icd  the  coun- 
bit'lors,   and   few   thinf^s  of   importance  were  undertaken  hy 

•  L.  TyiTtliail  :    ■■  I.ifr  aiM  Tiln.-  ..f  .lolitl  W.-lcy  ■' :     \nl.  lll.l..   IH. 


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:V24 


TMUKK    FtKMCloUS   LKADKItS   OF   OXFORD 


Im;  Ur.l,.y.  vv,tl,u„t    Lis  .-.pproval.     An..tl.er  was  William 
(.rnnshaw.  v.-ar  ..f  Mavvorth,  a  ,no.,ria,..l  t..w,.  i„  the  heart 
'•t  the  \\e>t    {..hn,^  of  ^•..^kshi^..  sin,,,  assoeiated  with  the 
iiMu.us  .laughters  „f  his  su,ress„r,   the    [{evere,,,!    Patrick 
Urur.te.     (.r,n,s„aw   was  an   .-(reiitrie   l,ut   frank,   fearless 
'■""'  '"'"Pa.nnMal,!,.  n,an.  lar^e  in  nature  as  in  stature,  an.l  a' 
«..nn  ,.Wv.K.ae  of  M,.tho.lis„.  so  lon^  as  it  remained  within 
the  Kstal.hshe,!   (  hnr.h.     A»oth,T  was  John   BcTri.lge,  of 
Kverton.  m  the  M.dlan.ls.  a  useful  an.l  widely  kn,.wn  eol- 
lea^^ue    wh.,nM\esey  love.l  to  visit.     Hut  the  extravagant 
;'.""l-'<t  of    Herr.d,'e  and  the  prostrations  a,.d  ravings  of 
h.s   n.nvert^    were    excesses   Wesley    foun.l    it    difficult    t.» 
explaui. 

Tlie  ri,,est    mo>t  apt  an.l  perfect  saint  of  Anglican  Meth- 
".lism    was    Mct.her   .,f   Ma.leley.   a    naturaliml   Swiss   of 
patri(.,an  .les.rnt.  whos..  h..liness  .,f  character  impresse.l  even 
\  ..Ita.re  au.l  ,s  still  an  inspirati.,n  an.l  a  power.     His  mem<,rv 
s  enc,rcl...l  l.y  an  ,-t>.;T,.al  lustc-r  whic-h  has  given  him  a  unique 
P  a.e  n,  tl...  annals  ol  hi>  .,wn  Chur.-h  an.l  in  th..s.    .f  Mcth- 
-lism      Many  .lcv.,ut  nu-n  an.l  w.,„,en  of  all  p.     „a.si.,n.s 
h.n.-  ,|,.nve,|   the.r  l,est  Lh-als  an.l  cn.vptions  of  evangel- 
i(;al  (  hrist.an.ty  fn.rn  his  p,Ts..nal  example.     Disregar.ling 
Hs  parent  s  n.t.-ntion   that   lu-  shoul.l  enter  the  ministrxs 
HetclHT   hke  many  ..f  his  .•o.mtrymen.  s.,ught  ..mpL.vment 
..s  a  soIduT  .,    fortune,  an.l  being  frustrate.l  in  this  attempt 
rep,nr..d  tr  Lnglan.l.  where  he  secnre.l  a  p.,siti..n  as  tut,.; 
m  tl...  f„n,  y  .,»  Mr.  Thon.as  Hill  ,>f  Tern  Hall.  Shn.pshire  ' 
Wink'  resi.hng  with  his  ,,atr.,n  in  L..n.lon.  he  I.e.-ame  an 
earnest  (  ImMian,  an.l  at  once  si,.,we.l  that  capaeitv  f.,r  the 
rehgious  hh-  m  whwh  he  has  ha.l  few  e.,uals.     An  anient 
..v.- tor  New   l..stam..nt  truth  an.l  inwanl  puritv  p.,ssesse.l 
''.'"••      Uv   was  s..t   apart   t.,  the  past..rate   in  his  twentv- 
•■■ghth  y,.ar.  an.    .luring  the  first  m.,nths  after  his  or.linati.m 
.nnnstere.1    at    At.han.    Church,   an    ancient   structure   <,f 
-Norman    f.,undat,..n.   stan.ling   near   .,ne   of   the   loveliest 

'  •^■'■"  '  ■■' '   \"i"«''.'M>  Hall  ami  ,!».  sont  of  ,1...  Uvrmcks. 


JOHN   WKSLEY 


325 


wiiulin};s  of  the  Severn  River.  In  tliis  runil  paradise,  sur- 
rounded by  a  landscape  full  of  uiiinarkctahle  beauties  of 
glade  and  hedgerow,  where,  beyond  the  skirting  woods  of 
Attingham  and  Ilaughinond,  the  sjnres  of  Shrewsbury  pierre 
the  horizon  and  the  gray  walls  of  the  former  Cistercian  Abbey 
of  Buildwas  are  seen  in  the  adjacent  valley,  Fletcher  entered 
upon  the  work  of  his  life.  Two  livings  were  otl'ered  him,  one 
of  comparative  ease,  the  other,  at  Madclcy,  an  industrial 
l)arisli  seven  miles  distant,  small  in  stipend  and  overflowing 
with  vice  and  initjuity.  He  chose  the  latter,  and  there  began 
that  ministry  which  coultl  not  be  conHnetl  to  any  locality. 
At  first  wantonly  opi)osed,  at  last  tenderly  loved,  in  a  then 
obscure  village  Fletcher  led  a  life  crowded  with  these  alter- 
nations, but  crowned  in  the  scfiucl  by  the  unl)oundcd  rev- 
erence of  his  i)arishioners  and  many  others  who  held  him 
well-nigh  infallible  in  the  higher  matters  that  pertain  to 
the  spirit.  His  unadorned  story,  like  that  of  St.  Francis, 
whom  he  resembled  in  sanctity,  is  as  fascinating  as  any 
romance  of  medieval  religion. 

His  frail  body  could  not  adequately  sustain  the  intensity 
of  his  meek  but  unquenchable  soul,  and  when,  at  length,  it 
gave  way,  he  spent  his  last  Lord's  Day  in  the  sanctuary  at 
the  altar  of  the  Holy  Communion,  and  was  carried  thence 
to  his  death-bed  amid  the  blessings  of  liis  people.  His 
wife,  Mary  IJosanquct  Fletcher,  survived  him  many  years, 
and  was  herself  counted  among  the  saints  of  Methodism. 
Wesley,  who  had  chosen  I'letcher  as  his  suctvssor,  mourned 
his  decease,  and  testified  of  him  :  "  Many  exemplary  men 
have  1  known,  holy  in  heart  and  life,  within  fourscore  years; 
but  one  equal  to  him  I  ha\e  not  known,  one  so  inwardly 
and  outwardly  devoted  to  (lod.  So  unblamable  a  character, 
in  every  respect,  I  have  not  found  either  in  Europe  or 
America  ;  and  I  scarce  expect  to  find  such  another  on  this 
side  of  eternity."  ' 

Other     iissistanee     came,     however,    and     Wesley     soon 

•  L.  Tyernian  :    "Life  aii<l  Times  of  Joliii  Wesley"  ;    Vol.  Ill,  p.  4(i4. 


I 


ii 


(• 


it' 


320     TIIRKK    KKI.Kilors    LKADKKS   OF   OXFORD 


I  !• 


obta.n.Hl   ,„i   active   n,rps  uf   workers.      I„  tin-    first   (Ia-,s 
of    the    inoveni.-i.t,    i)r(a,l,i„jr    ,vas    (ciifined    to   Uiinisters 
of    q)is<-(,i,al    <.r.linatioM,    hut   its    sprca.I    in    wider    areas 
where  the  Aii-lieaii  pasters  were  unfrieiidlv  le<l  to  develop- 
ments whieli  eventually  separated  M.-tiio.lism  fn.ni  the  older 
(  hnreh.      On  oceasions  when  no  such  elerjjyman  was  pres- 
ent t<.  address  the  congregations,  lay  helpers  had  ventured 
to  do  so.     Of  these  wer.'  Joseph  Humphreys,  John  Onniek. 
an.l    Ihomas  MaxHel.i.      .\s  early  a,  I7:!,S.  Huniphrevs  ha.l 
assisted  \^esley  at    Fetter  Lane,  and  after   1740  the  othei 
two  were  identified  with  the  more  distinct  Methodism  at 
the  Foundery.     liy  the  end  of  that  year  the  Wesievs  were 
isolate*! :    Whitefiel.j  was  in  America  ;    (lamhol.l  and  IJrig- 
lam  had  joined  the  Moravians;    and  Anglicans'generaliv 
had    waslied   their   hands  of   th<-  ent»-ri)rise.     I'nder  these 
circumstances   the    forerunners   of   the    itin.-rant    preachers 
appeared.     ('enni<-k  was  a  man  of  some  culture,  the  Master 
of    Kingsw...,."    .Sch,.ol,    who    celehrated    his   conversion    in 
several  well-known  hymns,  among  which  are  those  beginning 


and 


"ChiMriTi  of  the  Hijivtniy  KinR" 
"Tlioii  (li'ar  {{t'llci-iiuT,  (lyiii>;  I.aiiil)." 


Requested  to  reprove  him  for  .xpounding  the  Scriptures 
to  a  congregati(.n  disappointed  of  its  minister,  on  the  con- 
trary Wesley  so  encoiirage.l  him  that  he  gave  his  spare 
time  to  preaching  and  e.vix.sition  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Hnstol.  \  ,.t  when  Wesley  received  word  there  that  Thomas 
Maxfield  had  also  "turn..!  preacher,"  and  in  the  L.ndon 
N)ciety  at  that,  hv  was  greatlx  disquieted.  One  surmises 
that  his  dismay  was  due  to  the  relative  importance  of  the 
1-oun.lery  and  to  the  dillcr.'nce  betwtrn  (Vni«ick  and  Ma.x- 
fiel.l,  rather  than  to  Maxficld's  presumption.  A  man  of 
unstable  .lispo>ition,  the  latter  had  been  convene.!  under 
Wesley  s  preaching  at  |{risto|  on  May  I'O,  ITMO,  an<!  !)ecame 
the  servant  and  companion  of  his  brother  Charles.      John 


iM 


JOHN   WKSLEY 


327 


now  hurried  to  I/Ondoii,  dctfrmiiu'd  to  silen«'  him,  l)ut 
there  he  received  an  unexpei ted  caution  from  his  mother: 
"You  iiuow  what  my  sentiments  have  heen,"  said  Mrs. 
Wesley.  "You  cannot  suspect  me  of  faNoriiig  anythinj;  of 
this  kind,  but  take  care  what  you  do  with  respect  to  that 
young  man,  for  he  is  as  surely  called  to  |)reaeh  as  you  are." 
lie  yielded  to  her  advice  to  hear  Maxfiehl  for  himself,  and, 
after  doinj;  so,  the  matter  ended  with  his  hearty  sancti<m. 
Within  a  year  there  were  twenty  recof;nized  lay  preachers 
in  the  various  Societies,  an  innovation  which  apiin  annoyed 
the  clergy  of  the  Kstahlishment.  '  I  know  your  brother 
well,"  remarked  Dr.  Hobinson,  Arclibishop  of  .\rmagh,  to 
Charles  Wesley.  "I  could  never  credit  all  I  heard  respect- 
ing him  and  you  ;  but  one  thing  in  your  conduct  I  could 
never  account  for  —  your  employing  laymen."  "  My  lord," 
rejoined  Charles,  "the  fault  is  yours  and  your  brctiiren's." 
"  How  so?"  asked  the  Archbishop.  "  Because  you  hold  your 
peace,  and  the  stones  cry  out,"  answered  Charles.  "Hut 
I  am  told,"  urged  his  (»racc,  "tiiat  they  are  unlearned  men." 
"Some  are,"  said  Charles,  adding  with  a  flash,  "and  so  the 
dumb  ass  rebukes  the  prophet,"  whereupon  *he  .Vrclil)ishop 
asked  no  further  questions.' 

The  truth  that  laws  and  institutions  are  not  made,  but 
grow  out  of  necessity,  was  illustrated  by  this  emergt-nce 
from  the  neglected  ix'o|)le  of  their  spiritual  guides  and 
teachers.  Those  who  were  chosen  for  sucli  offices  carrie<l 
the  Gospel  into  places  where  Wesley,  uliicpiitous  as  he 
was,  could  never  have  |)eneicrate(l.  Tlicir  advent  into 
his  evangelizing  scheme  delivered  it  from  the  contingencies 
which  might  have  arisen  at  his  death ;  the  work  ceased  to 
hang  on  the  thread  of  a  single  existence,  and  the  confident 
prophecies  of  its  opponents  that  the  movement  would  soon 
pi^rish  were  doomed  to  remain  unfulfilled.  Within  twelve 
years  eighty-five  helpers  had  already  entered  the  service,  of 
whom  six  had  died,  ten  had  retired,  one  hail  been  exi)elled, 

'  L.  Tyorniaii :    "  Life  mihI   Tiirn-  ..f  .lohi.  U  Oliy  "  ,    Vol.  1,  p.  .'77. 


;    >' 


» 


ii. 


\\i 


»  ! 


h 


ii 


t- 


328     THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

ami  sixty-«"ifrl,t  wvrv  in  iictivc  cmployriunt.     At  the  UhhU 
Cc.iifVrciKr  ill  17.")  rules  ref;ulatiiiK  tiieir  ciiduet  were  for- 
mulated  aii.l    piil.li>lu.,|    l,y    WosK-v.     'J'lu.v   were   expeeted 
to  Ik-  always  earnestly  alive  to  their  duty,  i)atteriis  o(  self- 
denial ;     to    .Irink    only    water,    to    rise    at    four,    to    fast 
on    Iridays.  to   visit  from   house  to   lioii.e,  to  insist  on  a 
<lefiiiite  religious  «'X|MTience  in  the  nuinhers.  and   to  make 
a    quart.Tly    report   of   their    lal.ors.      X,,   one   else    could 
have    rerpured     siieh    seltHlla.ement     with    aiiv    hope    of 
ohtainiiiK     It     from     men     .haracteristieallv     indepeii.lent. 
H«>  did  not  make  these  demainls.  however,  in  the  spirit  of 
mere  suprema.y,   hut  heeause  he   was  satisfie.l  that   thev 
were  absolutely  essential  to  the  welfare  of  his  workers  and 
the  sueeess  of  their  work.     On  tlu-ir  part,  the  preachers  were 
content   to  sul.init  to  ordinance,  which   tlu'   ruler  himself 
was  the  first  to  ol.<-y.     Wh.n  he  was  critieize.l  for  investing 
himself  with  arbitrary  power,  he  answered  artl.-sslv,  "  If  l,y 
arbitrary  power  you  mean  a  power  which  I  excrcis,-  sinj;lv 
without  any  colleagues  therein,  this  is  certainlv  tru(>    but' I 
•see  no  hurt  in  it."     There  was  little,  because"  his  love  for 
these  obscure  laborers  was  that  of  a  fatluT  for  his  chil,ln-n 
aud  theirs  for  him  was  blen.led  with  a  reverent  awe.     ()n<r 
his  prejudices  were  overcome,  none  rejoicvd  in  their  ,)resence 
aiHl  ,,roKress  more  than  di.l   Wesley.     II,.  knew  them  in- 
timately, rea.l  tlu-ir  respective  traits  with  a  .liscernin^r  eve 
watched  over  their  temj.oral  an.l  spiritual  wants,  was  ,,atient 
with  their  misunderstandin.trs,  mourned  over  their  defections 
which  were  few,  an.l  covered  the  pa^es  of  his  Journal  with 
accounts  of  their  stru^jilcs  and  triumphs.     The  har.lships  of 
tiieir  lot  were  such  as  even  he  had  not  known,  save  for  u 
briet  perio,l.     Th.-y  were  subjected  to  inhuman  treatment  lonj,' 

utter  their  leader,  by  ^......Tal  consent,  ha.l  obtaiiu xemp- 

ti.m  from  the  p..nalti<.s  th,-  world  is  wont  to  inflict  on 
prophets  of  the  truth.  Helcntl.'ssly  p„r.ncd  bv  their  .-nemies 
<lenounced.  ridi.-nl..l,  caricatur.Ml,  thnatene.l.  maltreated  ' 
i)enniless  and  a-hungered,  sometimes  sick  unto  death ;    an<l 


::  if 


!         i 


V'l  i! 

VM 


,      1      I'; 


JOHN'    VVKSLKY 


329 


all  for  no  otlior  n-ason  tliai\  tlu-ir  «-xercisf  of  the  lihtTty 
to  testify  coiiceniitij:  the  (lospel ;  yet  as  a  rule  they 
were  found  faithful  lo  tiie  end.  A  word  of  praise  from 
Wesley's  lips  was  as  eagerly  prized  as  is  the  eross  for  valor 
by  the  scddi.r  on  the  hat  tie-field.  The  testimony  of  a  eon- 
scienee  void  of  offense  and  the  Miss  of  a  regenerated  life 
were  at  once  the  seeret  of  their  heroical  ciiaraeter  and  the 
burden  of  their  nii'ssa^e. 

l)oul)tless  there  were  violations  of  fjood  taste,  prudence, 
and  sohriety  of  judgment,  liut,  when  the  origin,  training  and 
environment  of  the  first  itinerants  are  considered,  these 
mistakes  a|)i)ear  relatively  slight.  It  is  apparent  that  they 
not  only  met  a  national  religious  emergency,  hut  that  on 
the  whole  they  were  the  hest  e(|uip|)ed  men  to  meet  it.  The 
gulf  which  separated  the  lettered  cleric  from  the  artisan 
and  the  jn-asant  was  unknown  to  tluin.  .After  the  manner 
of  those  of  the  New  Testament  these  democratic  disciples 
am.sorted  with  the  mnltituile  and  captured  many  strong- 
holds of  sin  whidi  had  withstood  the  parochial  clergy. 
They  introduced  to  homes  ravaged  hy  vice  and  crime  the 
thrift  and  industry,  the  domestic  piety  and  rectitude  of 
conduct  which  form  tlie  hearth  where  tlie  soul  of  a  country 
is  nurtured  and  protected.  Wesley's  estimate  of  them  was 
judicious:  "In  the  one  thing  which  they  profess  to  know 
they  are  not  ignorant  men.  I  tru>t  tlierc  is  not  one  of  them 
who  is  not  able  to  go  tiirough  such  an  examination  in  sub- 
stantial, i)ractical,  experimental  divinity  as  few  of  our  can- 
didates for  holy  orders  even  in  the  I'niversity  (I  s()eak  it 
with  sorrow  and  shame  .ind  in  tender  love),  are  able  to  do." 
He  had  hi^  full  share  of  the  scholar's  hate  of  ignorance  ;  none 
knew  better  the  advantages  of  an  educated  ministry,  and  he 
was  at  great  pains  in  aiding  his  heli)ers  to  gain  knowledge. 
"\our  talent  in  preaching  docs  not  increase,"  he  wrote  to 
one  of  these.  "  It  is  lively,  but  not  deep.  There  is  little 
variety;  there  is  no  com|)ass  of  thought.  Reading  only 
can  supply  this,  with  daily  meditation  and   dail.v  prayer. 


y 


ff 


'ill 


In 


ll 


1 


lii:! 


;.i 


'fii 


V      ' 


IM    ! 


330 


THItKK    ItKMOIOUS    LKADKKS   OV   OXFORD 


.  .  .     Wlu-tlur  yuii   likr  it  or  tiot,  r.-ad    and    prav  daily. 
It  IS  fur  your  lifo !     TIi.t.-  is  n.)  otlu-r  way;    else  voii  will 
Im-  a  tnflcr  all  your  days  and  a  pretty,  sniHTfieial  preacher. 
I  )o  jiistic.'  to  your  own  soul ;  jrive  it  time  an<l  means  to  fjrow  ; 
<!<>  not  starve  yourself  any  longer."     He  lectured  to  them' 
on  "  Pearson  on  th."  (Vee.l."  "Aldrich's  L.fric,"  ami  similar 
works;    discussed   their  difficulties,  instructed  them  in  the 
art  of  corri'ct  thinking  and  si)eakinK,  and  arranjced  the  course 
of  th.ir  studies.      His   ".Votes  on  the    Xew    Testament." 
taken  from  |{en;;el,  and  the  "Rules  for  .Vction  and  I'tter- 
ance"  were  written  i)rimarily  for  them,  atid  his  "Christian 
Lii.rary,"  an   al.ridpnent  of  som.-  fifty  well-known  works, 
while  meant  for  a  larjrer  pul.lic,  was  also  intended  f<.r  his 
lu'lpers.     Whatever  came  from  his  pen  was  eaKcrlv  rea<i  l)y 
them    in   order  that   they   nuKht   l.,Tome  a   more  efficieiit 
h>;htmK   unit    under    his   K»'i.eralship.     The   time   was    not 
rilK-    for  c.nstitutional    Methodism:    inde.'d   a    division   .,f 
Its   government   at    this   staye    wculd    have    Inrn    equiva- 
lent to  i)lacinK  an   army  confrontiuf:  the  eneniv  under  a 
(•omm.ttee  of  half-trained  officers.     It  was  necessarv  that  the 
preachers  should  cultivate  a  talent  for  administration  J)efore 
they  could  safely  he  intrusted  with  its  powers.     This  was  a 
wise  policy,  i)reser\  in>r  the  integrity  of  the  movement  from  the 
undesirahle  elements  which  a  few  zealots  were  eager  to  intro- 
<lnce.     Although  an  autocrat,  Wesley  was  jjenerallv  careful 
to  ascertain  as  far  as  jiossihle  the  wishes  of  his  |)reachers. 
Xo  Protestant  cler>;yi,ian  ever  exercised  a  more  fascinating 
niHuence    over    his    brethren.      The   charm    was   pers(.nal. 
whetlu-r  difiused   through   his  conversati..n.   his  correspon- 
dence, <,r  his  kin.lly  acts.     His  prea.hers.  old  and   vou.ik, 
were   tree   to  oiler  suw«'stions,   which    he  readilv  adopted 
if    they    comnicn.led     tluinsclves    to    his    judgment;     and 
lU-nr}-  Mmrv.  who  took  advantaK<'  of  this  privilege  more 
fre-inently    than    .li.|    his    l.rethren.    was    relisht.l    for    his 
trce.loin    of    speech.       When    a    younger    minister's    frank 
expression    of    opiiii,„i    provoked    the    hlunt    and    militant 


',!■' 


.lOHN    VVKSLKY 


331 


Thomas  Uatikiii  to  chide  him  for  im|K'rtiiicii(<',  WVslcy  at 
oiuf  interposed  in  his  ilefeiise,  aixl  added,  "I  will  thank 
the  youngest  man  amonj;  yon  to  tell  me  of  any  fault  yon  see 
in  me;  in  so  iloiiig,  I  shall  consider  him  my  hest  friend." 
This  was  his  usual  Itearinj;  in  a  sin^nilar  [xoition  not  easily 
understood  in  tiiis  day  of  distrihntid  ecclesiastical  authority. 
While  he  lived,  his  al)snhitism  was  teiniHred  uid  adjusted 
hy  his  paternal  conduct  ;  after  lie  died,  nut  even  the  Confer- 
ence, in  its  collective  wisdom,  could  exercise  it  as  he  had 
done  without  encount»Tinf,'  resistance  and  material  loss. 

The  fact  that  one  ;rrcat  ^oul  made  iiis  ideas  and  convic- 
tions the  sources  of  >piritual  vitality  for  jjeneratious  of  men 
and  women  is  im|)ressive.  Wesley's  Christian  nature,  en- 
dowed with  an  intellectual  enerjry  imri\alcd  in  its  attrac- 
tion for  the  ))lain  folk,  made  him  the  figure  of  his  century 
which  hrifjlitens  on  the  historic  canvas  while  other  fipires 
fade.  The  liisiiops  and  statesmen  whom  he  could  not  i)er- 
sua<Ie  nor  prompt,  who  would  not  hearken  to  his  counsel  and 
despised  his  reproof,  wax  dimmer  and  dinnner,  while  he  looms 
larger  and  more  influential.  But  this  would  have  been 
impossible  had  he  not  exten<led  his  work  throuj:h  the  heljHTs 
whom  he  brought  to  the  rescue  of  a  de>;raded  po|)ulace  and 
controlled  and  directed  with  singular  firmness  united  with 
equally  remarkable  tact.  Thus  it  was  not  only  his  renovated 
forms  of  theological  faith  or  his  unique  individuality  coin- 
ciding with  opportunity  or  necessity,  but  ilie  fertility  of 
his  organizing  genius  and,  most  of  all,  the  devotion  of  his 
preachers,  that  accounted  for  the  spread  of  Methodism. 

Some  of  his  subordinates  were  designated  "  half  itinerants," 
such  as  John  Ilaime,  William  Slient,  William  Roberts, 
Charles  IVrronet,  John  Furz,  Jonathan  Jones,  Jonathan 
Maskew,  James  Hoqnet,  John  Fisher,  Matthew  I^owes, 
John  Brown,  and  Enoch  Williams;  others,  "chief  loci'l 
preachers,"  such  as  Jos»'ph  Jones,  Thomas  Maxfield,  Thomas 
Westnll,  Francis  Walker,  Joseph  Tucker,  William  Tucker, 
James  Morris,  Eleazer  Webster,  John  Bakewell,  .VIexander 


it 


) 


u 


N 


■      H 

I 


I   iJi  '■■: 


332      TIIHEK    HKLKJIOUS   LKADKKS   OF  OXFORD 

Matlu-r,   Tl...,nas   CoWn-rk.   Titus    Kni^.|,t.   John   Sloc.mh. 
and  Alicliarl  (  al.n<I.T.     Soiitlu-y,  in  n-viovvinK  tlu'st-  lists 
(k-scnlM-s  till-  appcarancr  of  J„hn  Ilain.o.  the  sol.li.T  rvatiKo- 
hst.  dwHIniK  <.n  his  mean  and  <onini..n  f«'atur.s,  his  small, 
iiu'xpressivt.  (.y.-s,  scanty  cychrows  and  short,  hroad,  vulvar 
Mosf,  "ni  a  facr  of  onlinary  proportions  wjii.l,  s»cincd  to 
mark  out  a  suhj.ct  \vh..  would  hav.-  l.,-,n  content  to  travel 
a  joK-trot  alouK  the  hijrh-roi.d  of  mortalitv.  and  have  look.d 
for  no  greater  .leliKht  than  that  of  smoking  and  hoozing  in 
the  cinmney  corner.     And  yet."  adds  Sonthey.  "John  Haime 
passed  Ins  whole  life  in  a  contimied  spiritual  ague."  '      True, 
Ilaime  had   his  disordered    humors,  and    he  was  trouhled* 
alu.ut  many  things.     Hut  his  c.se  >howed  that  when  religion 
reaches  an.l  U|.liftsthe  lowest  in  the  human  scale  illimitable 
are  the  hojx-s  it  Uis|.ir.s  of  what  humanitv  mav  he  permitted 
to  attam.     On  May  II.  174.-,.  j,,.  stood  in  the  stricken  ranks 
at    l-ontenoy  and   was  among  the   last   to    retreat.     When 
the   army  eampe.l    in    Flanders,  Haime,  alth..ugh    he    had 
never  seen  \\.>ley,  preache.l  his  doctrines  to  his  comrades 
and    led    th,-,n    to   the    Cross.     Tlu-y     went    int..    action' 
singing   Metho.list  hynms,  an.l  .li,.,|   on   tla-  fiel.l   ,,raising 
C1...I   f.)r  Ills  salvati.m.     John    I)..wnes,   who  left  sixpen.r 
as  his  total  f..rtun.>.  an.l  was  i^orccl  t..  relinquish  pr.-aehing 
because  of  ill-health,  was  a  nu.themati.ian  an.l  a  m.<hanical 
expert,   an.l   best  .,f  all,  a  go.lly  an.l   an   h..n..rable  man. 
lli.mias  Walsh,  one  ..f  the  Irish  converts  .,f  174!),  in  some 
resiK-ets  the  f..r.'m.,st  member  .,f  the  pioneer  ban.!,'  was  .lis- 
tinguishe.1  n..t  ..nly  for  his  fervi.l  pi.-ty,  bnt  als.,  for  his  learn- 
II  jr.     ^^esley  r.-gar.l...l  him  as  the  best  Biblical  sch..lar  he 
ha.l   ever   known.     His   pr..fi.i,.n.y   in    Hebrew  an.l   (Jre.'k 
was  such  that  he  r.'ad  thes.-  languages  as  easilv  as  he  .li.l  his 
native  Krse,  an.l  <  ..nl.l  tell  h.,w  oft.-n  an.l  wIutc  a  given  wor.l 
occurre.1  m  the  original  Scriptnr.-s.     "Tla-  life  ..f  Th..mas 
\\alsh       sai.l    South.y,    "might    alin..st    c.nvin.r    ."ven    a 
(athohc  that  saints  are  to  1...  fonn.l  in  ..ther  .•.,mmuni..ns 

'   "Lift'  of    \V('.*].'\- "  ;     |(p.    J*yj    J*JS. 


ijin 


JOHN    UKSKKY 


333 


as  well  as  in  tlir  Cluinli  >>(  \U>i\u-.  .  .  .  His  soul  seemed 
al)M)rlM(i  ill  (lull;  anil  from  the  serenity  ami  sometliinj,' 
reseinidin^  ^lilemldur  wliicli  appeared  on  his  eouMtenan'r 
aiHJ  in  all  liis  >,'estures  afterwards,  it  nii),'lit  easily  he  dis- 
eovered  \\  hat  he  had  l>eeii  ahoiit."  '  I  le  was  w  idely  aecrpted 
atnonj;  his  own  peo|>le,  to  whom  he  heeame  an  ambassador 
of  Christ  Jesus  for  nine  years  la-fore  he  died  at  the  early  a^e 
of  twehty-<'i<;ht. 

Anions  the  six  preachers  admitted  at  the  Limerick  Con- 
ference of  August,  i7.')J,  the  fir>t  helil  in  Ireland,  was  I'liilip 
Ciuier,  Master  of  the  (lerman  scliool  at  Hallin>,'ran.  Of  the 
seven  thousand  (Jermans  who  in  170!)  had  heen  driven  hy 
persecution  from  the  Palatinate  of  the  Rhine  to  Enj,'la>id, 
three  thousand  wen-  sent  to  America,  and  the  majority  of 
the  remaind(-r  settled  in  or  around  Limerick,  when-  Guier 
taught  Kmt)ury  his  letters  and  instructi-d  Thomas  Walsh 
in  the  faith.  The  leader  of  Mc-thodism  at  Limerick  until 
his  death  in  177N,  Cuier  tended  the  little  flock  so  assiduously 
that  a  hundred  years  later  his  name  was  still  a  hailing  si^ii 
of  the  people  for  the  itint-rants.  John  Jane  ct-rtainly  earned 
a  place  in  the  roll  of  self-sacrilicin;:  (lev()tees.  Unable  to 
purchase  a  horse,  lu-  und(-rtook  his  journt-ys  on  foot,  and 
Wesley  once  met  him  at  liolylu-ad  witiiout  food  or  means, 
hut  in  capital  spirits  after  a  lon^'  tramp  frofTi  Mristol,  during 
which  he  had  sjM-nt  seven  nights  on  tlie  road  and  manaf;e(i 
to  (-xist  with  only  three  shilling's  to  his  account.  Weakened 
hy  privations  and  <-xposurcs,  lu-  died  a  few  months  later, 
sixteen  |H-nce  and  his  clothes  heini,'  his  total  estate  — 
"enouKli,"  said  W(-sley,  "for  any  unmarried  preacher  of  tlie 
(lospel  to  leave  liis  executors."  The  list  of  these  w<»rtliies 
(-ould  he  enlarged  indi-finitely,  and  even  so  late  as  the  early 
Victorian  period,  tlit-  lViniitiv(-  Methodist  exiiorters  and 
preachers  were  suhjt-cted  to  similar  hardships. 

Southey's  criticism  that  as  a  rule  Wesley's  men  "possessed 
no  other  qualifications  than  a  p'od  stock  of  animal  spirits 
'  "Life  of  Wesley"  ;   pp.  ;!sl -iJSft 


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;{;{4      TIIUKK    UhM.KJiol  s    I.KADKKS  (»K   O.XFOUI) 

aiul  a  ready  How  of  wonN,  a  Ial<  nt  which  of  all  utlitTs  i- 
lfa>t  o(  111  IK  It  I'd  with  xhiikI  iiitclltct,  "  would  maki-  thi'tii  the 
iiuTf-it  arcidnit  in  a  niiu  iid(>ii>  iimral  fniiflict  of  which  thry 
wtTf  a(tiiali\  thf  ctiitiT.  On  the  contrary,  tht'ir  pmidiinj; 
xTVtd  to  (•inpha^izc  the  fact  that  the  tonjjiic  is  doqiicnt  in 
it>  own  lannu:i};<'  and  the  heart  in  its  own  ri'li>;ioii.  That 
rdijiion  wa^  sheltered  in  their  dee|M->t  eonseiousness,  and 
for  it  tin.-,  wronnht  and  siiUVreti  >;reatly,  tindiiiK'  in  its  id  als 
the  true  life  of  the  spirit  and  an  inspiratioii  to  disiiitere:<ted 
action. 

Ill 

Wesley's  suee<'ss  iis  an  organizer  was  further  due  to  his 
resourcefulness  in  ailo|)tinn  or  nuMlifyin^'  tuetluHis  and  plans 
already  existing  as  well  as  those  he  formulated  himself. 
.Neither  the  name  nor  the  ich-a  of  the  Societies  originated 
witli  him,  and  h»  refers  to  his  own  use  of  them  as  folhiws: 
"The  first  rise  of  Methodism  was  in  .VovenilKT,  ITl'O,  when 
four  of  us  met  to>;ethcr  at  Oxford  ;  the  second  was  at 
Savannaii  in  Ai)ril,  I7;)(i,  when  twenty  or  tliirty  persons 
im-t  at  my  house;  the  last  was  at  I^indon,  when  forty  or 
fifty  of  us  agreed  to  meet  together  every  Wiiinesday  eveiiiiij;, 
in  order  to  free  conversation,  Im'j,'iui  and  ended  with  siiijjiu},' 
and  pra\er."  '  The  Society  in  .VIdersgate  Street,  where 
he  was  con\erted,  was  held  umUr  .\nnlicaii  auspices  pre- 
viously to  Moltlier's  apjH'arance,  and  so  was  that  at  I'etter 
Lane.  Three  years  after  the  cximIus  to  the  Foundery, 
distinctively  Methodist  orftanizations  had  spread  from 
London  to  Bristol,  Kinj;sw«><)<l,  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  and 
were  soon  niultij)lied  throu>;hout  the  kinpioin.  A  hook  of 
rules  for  their  piidancc.  whicli  was  issued  at  Newcastle  in 
174;{,  and  sifrned  hy  the  Wesleys.  contained  their  definition 
of  a  Society  as  "a  i  nnipany  of  men  having;  the  form  and 
seeking;  the   power  ot    j;odlincss,   unit»'d    in   order  to   pray 

'  Ecilosiastiral   History.  IV,   p.  176.   ijuot(><J   by  Canon  J.   H.   OvcrKui: 
!'Juhu  Wesley";  p.  121. 


JOHN    WESLKV 


335 


together,  to  receive  the  word  of  t'xl)(»rtution,  nn<l  to  watch 
over  one  another  in  love,  that  tliey  nmy  iuip  each  other 
to  work  out  their  own  >alvatiiiii.  "  They  naturally  de- 
sire<l  fellowship,  and  in  provilinu'  for  it  Wesley  reverted 
to  the  practice  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  where  he  found 
the  authorization  of  those  nieasiires  without  which  hin 
conijrejjations  would  have  liccn  impaired  if  not  destroy»-d. 
The  institution  most  typical  of  Meth(Klistn  was  the  class 
meeting,  which  lugan  at  IJristol  in  1742.  In  order  to 
raise  funds  for  the  extinction  of  the  deht  upon  the  Horse 
Fair  Chapel,  one  Captain  Fry  proposed  that  every  mem- 
ber shoulil  >;ive  a  jH-nny  a  week.  The  olijection  was 
made  that  some  were  too  poor  to  all'ord  this  mtMlest  sum, 
whereupon  Fry  voliuiteered  to  tuuierwrite  the  contri- 
butions of  eleven  such  members,  and  sujiK'i'^ted  that 
others  should  do  likewise.  His  advice  was  taken,  the  entire 
Society  was  divided  into  groups  of  twelve,  the  responsible 
member  beinj;  called  the  leader,  and  the  rest  liis  class.  In 
this  way  originated  the  liscal  system  which  has  since  been 
employed  for  the  sujjport  of  the  ministry,  and  also  that 
•communion  of  saints  which  ha>  had  no  superior. 

The  watch  ,ij;ht  service,  which  was  akin  to  the  vigilce 
of  the  early  (  hurch.  was  at  first  held  monthly,  but  later,  on 
New  Year's  eve  only.  The  (piarterly  nie«'tin>;  arose  out  of 
the  necessi'y  for  pastoral  supervision  of  tiic  .So«  ictics  and  class 
meetings,  and  j;radually  became  the  h.cal  cimn  h  court  for 
the  circuits  assi>;iied  to  tiic  preachers,  who  also  ^ave  tickets 
to  the  members  in  piod  >tandin;:.  The  l>and  nicctiufjs 
and  love  feasts  were  intended  to  cultivate  in  their  at- 
tcn  !ants  a  >;ra'<'ful  scn>e  of  G.iV-  mercies,  and  self- 
examination  concerning'  their  state,  >iii.,  and  temptations. 
The  penitents'  m  tinj;  is  suflicieiitly  described  by  its 
name,  the  hynnis  and  exhortations  liein-,'  such  as  were 
suitable  for  mourners  who  had  lo.-,t  tluir  assurance  of  for- 
giveness. It  is  <'viiient  that  these  means  for  relif^ious  growth 
were   more    acariy   a   reproduction   of   those   of   tla-   New 


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',VM\      TIIKKK    UKI.Miloi  s    l.i:  \|)|.;|{«,   «»k   <i\K<>I<I) 

'r.>tiim«iit  tliiih  immv  (itli.T-<  tlxn  cvfiiiit.  iiml  that  iidtliitij: 
lunl  Imtii  )I<iii<-  ii^  >i*  III  (i.iitniMiic  tlic  ideals  nf  .\ii)  i- 
laiiiMii  <(iii(iTiiiii|.'  tin-  priotlnHMl  .,f  the  <I(r>:\ .  On  this 
i^siic  even  \\<-li\  niiittiiilt'il  thiit  the  |>ric>t  was  a  n'|)rc- 
snifativc  (liarartrr,  with  ilcriv  ati\f  ftinctiniis,  and  tracvs  of 
his  niiKiption  lia\i'  a|i|Marid  in  M.irii-  fif  his  ininisttTJal 
folldwcr^.  \Vr  ntnni  to  thf  da-^  im-ftin^  liccaiisc  it  was 
the  MMil  of  the  iMriiiiar  frattrnitv  and  Mxial  worship  which 
ha\f  liccii  the  coht^iM'  l>oiid>  of  Wcsh'yanisin.  Within  its 
hidh>\\fd  (in  h'  the  -iiilnl  were  warntd  to  '  (lir  from  the  wrath 
to  conic."  the  <arclc->  were  reproved,  the  l)acksn(hTs  rc- 
eovend,  the  faint-hearted  emonrau'cd,  an<l  thf  prcsuinp- 
tuons  re-trained.  A-  the  fnndaniental  jiart  of  a  |M>lity 
which  wa-.  dictated  liy  necessity  rather  than  fxpi'diehcx , 
it  directed  spiritnal  energies,  and  conserved  the  dJM  !■ 
life  ont  of  which  the>e  arose.  It  ^ave  Wesley  and  I  i- 
nieinliers  an  inxiolahle  retreat  for  their  souls'  safety  -.i 
freed  tiieni  for  the  most  a^'uressive  evan^;elism  Knj;ia;i  i 
and  America  have  known;  it  (ixirdinated  in  one  Christian 
<lemocracy  <-olliers,  laborers,  artisans,  ironworkers,  mer- 
chants an<i  scholars,  and  fu-.ed  them  into  a  hrotherluMKJ 
whose  main  ohjects  wt-re  to  live  solierly  and  righteously, 
imd  urow  daily  in  the  knowhd>;e  and  love  of  their  Re- 
deemer. It  also  produced  an  extensive  ha^iolojiy.  in  which 
for  the  first  time  the  miner  and  the  plowman  had  their 
proportionate  mmihers  and  distinction.  The  majority 
of  its  adherents  came  from  a  hara»iri^r  environment 
to  the  cluTislied  >pot  wlure  they  learned  to  endure 
as  seeiiij,'  Ilim  Wlio  is  invisihie.  "It  can  scarce  he 
conceived."  wrote  Wesh-y.  "what  advjiitaj;es  have  been 
reaped  fr(»m  tiiis  prudential  rej^uiation.  Many  now 
experience  that  Cjiristian  fehow-hip  of  which  they  had 
not  so  much  as  an  ide.i  hefore."  The  leaders  essayed  the 
difli<ult  task  of  spiritual  culture,  and  <le>pite  many  draw- 
hacks  dixhar^red  its  duties  with  courap-.  fidelity,  and  w  isdom. 
Such   an   intercourse  (ould    not   fail   to   he  mutually  helpful 


JOHN    WKsl.KY 


-.va: 


and  I'lirii'hiii^'.  it  \mi^  at  niMr  ilu'  miiir  < mirt  anil  the  Iimmt 
smctiiary  of  that  t«'in|>h'  of  hvin^'  -onl-  whith  aro-i  Ixforr 
thf  iinlM'hi'x  inj:  >:a/,«'  of  l)i;;o|(i|  i  It-rii  >  an<l  <\  iiiral  ^nuhir- 
ist<,  and  whilr  it  \\a>  hi'ld  dci'  ,ir  ini^-ionary  spirit  of 
Mt'thodi>tn  rcniaihrd  in\  iinililf. 

'I'hi'  fir-t  ( 'onffTriKT  convcnrd  at  thf  I-'oiindiT^  on  Mondav, 
•luric  J"),  17  H.  ami  rnnaincd  in  M'-^ion  for  li\i'  da>  ~.  It 
((iiisistfd  of  ti'ii  int'inliir>  :  tlir  t\\o  \\r^|(\>,  .lohii  llodm-. 
lU'ctor  of  Wfiivo,  llciin  ritr>,  \  ii  ar  of  liivltv,  Sarnnrl 
Taylor.  N'icar  of  (^linton,  John  Mrriton,  an  im  innlirnt  in 
the  Isle  of  Man,  and  four  la_\    prfarlMT^,  'riioina~   liicliard-, 

ill  ia>  Maxticid,  .lohn  Btiniiit,  and  John  jtownc-.  Al- 
t'l".  I  'i  .if  thfM-  la^t  named  only  howm-  remained  with 
''I-  to  the  end,  they   were  the  repre^eiilati\  e--  of  the  lay 

pre  r^  who  in  Hritain  latw  oeenp.\  ten  out  of  every 
.M  ■  of  tln'  piilpit>  of  Methodism.  Sniall  in  niiinl)er>  a-» 
t'le  t 'onfer»'ne«'  \\a-<,  thi>  did  not  pn'Veiit  it  from  ile\i>i"n; 
.1  \ii<\n'  pro>;rain.     On  the  I,ord'>  1  >a>   |)re\ion-  to  the  opeii- 

M^  session  the  Holy  Commnnion  wa>  administered  to  tlie 
l,(  idoii  Society  of  over  two  thonsind  memlHr^.  (  harles 
V' esley  delivcn-d  the  odieial  xrmon.  wliirh  wa>  followed 
by  a  series  of  diM-n^^ion-i  on  doctrine  and  order,  when  it 
was  resolved  to  maintain  An^rlican  -landard-  hoth  liy 
preaehiiij;  and  »'xample.  The  new  di-cipic-  were  urt;<d  to 
hiiild  one  another  up  in  f.iith  and  diiipiac  in  order  that 
Scriptural  holiness  mijiht  he  ^jireatl  thnm^rhont  the  laial. 
'I'he  itinerants  were  minutely  directed  a>  to  their  ;;encral 
coiidiiet,  and  exhorted  to  remeinlxr  that  "a  preaciier  is  to 
mind  every  jxiint.  yreat  or  small,  in  the  Methodist  discipline. 
Therefore  yoii  will  need  all  the  j;race  and  sense  yoii  lia\e. 
and  to  ha\e  all  yonr  wits  a)io\it  \i'ii." 

'I'hese  ten  men.  the  majoritv  of  whom  were  .\ny:lican 
clerjiyinen.  created  the  annual  ( 'onfercnce,  o\er  forty-se\en 
sessions  which  \\e>le\  himself  presided,  and  which  has 
met  for  iC  himdred  ami  >e\ent>-twd  successive  years. 
The   Conferences  of   American  and  .\nstralian    Methotlism, 


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338      TIIKEE    KELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

l)oth  annual  an<I  qiiailniinial.  were  aftenva.  s  nuMleled 
ui)on  it.  .\>  or^ranizations  tliey  liave  si)rea(I  a  network  of 
juris(li(ti(.n  tliroii|.'li..iit  tlie  KnKlisli-speakinj,'  world  and 
over  n  ionary  land>,  iK'coniiiiK  the  liij;li  courts  of  legisla- 
tion and  executive  control,  and  conveying  the  sjjirit  and 
doctrines  of  their  I'ounder  to  every  (juarter  of  the  glolie. 

The  a|)parent  innovation  of  Wesley's  teachings  was  largely 
line  to  tlie  fact  that  what  is  >cen  or  heard  for  the  first  time, 
however  ancient,  ai)|)car>  novel.     He  did   little  more  than 
expound    the    prin(  ij.lc^   (.f   Christianity    contained    in    the 
Articles    of    the    Church    of    Knglaud,  and  interi)reted   hy 
Moravianism.     Thi^  led  him  to  the  regenerate.!  life  which 
is    supreme    o\er    eccl<'>iasticism    and    dogmatism.     From 
Moravianism   he  al>o  derived    some  major  conceptions  of 
how   that    life   was   reccixcd    and    propagated.      In   its  ex- 
ample he  saw  the  po>-il.ility  of  f(.rming  vital  groups  within 
the  Church  ratlicr  th.in  of  founding  an  indeiHMideiit  eoin- 
mimion.  and  enacted  his  ,iiea>ures  accordingly.     He  deemed 
the  i)oMtioM   of  the  .Sripturcs   impreguahle,  and   wrote  of 
them  in  the   Preface  to  his  .S-rmuns.     "Let  me  he    liowo 
uniu.1  llhri.     I  lere  then  I  am,  far  from  the  husy  ways  of  men. 
I  sit  <lown  ainne:   only  Cod  is  here.     In  his  presence  I  read 
His  hook  ;   for  this  end,  to  find  the  way  to  heaven.     Is  there 
a  douht  concerning  the  meaning  of  what  I  read?     I  lift  up 
my  heart  to  the  Father  of  lights,  and  ask  him  to  let  me  know 
His  will.     I  then  search  after  and  consider  parallel  passages 
of  .S-ripture.     I  meditate  thereon  with  all  the  attention  and 
••ariiestness  of  which  my  mind   is  capable.     If  any  douht 
still  remains,  I  consult  those  who  are  experienced  in  the  things 
of  Cod;    and  then  the  writings  wherehy,  heiiig  dead,  they 
yet  speak.     .Vn.l  what  I  thus  learn,  that  I  teach."  ' 

His  languagi-  shows  that  few  men  have  l)een  less 
hanipere.1  in  tluir  religic.ns  cuergi.  s  hy  the  criti<-al  in- 
tellectual atmos|)Iicre.  While  he  never  regarded  rcgidarity 
in  minor  theological   issues  as  of  supreme  importance,  he 

'  L.  TyiTiirin      '  I.if.'  :iii.i  Tinn's  .,f  .fcMn  W.'>l,.v"  ;    Vnl.  I.  p   ,)32. 


Ill 


i  i 


JOHN   WKSLEY 


339 


always  insistwl  upon  the  in-ccssity  (»f  repentance,  rofjenera- 
tion,  an<l  justification  h\  faith.  These,  tiiouRh  separable 
in  thouRht,  were  quite  inseparal)le  in  fact.  "The  moment 
we  are  justified  by  the  grace  of  (lod  through  tiie  redemption 
that  is  in  Jesus,  we  are  also  Ixtrii  of  tlie  Spirit Jus- 
tification implies  only  a  rehitivc,  tiic  new  l)irth,  a  real  change. 
God  in  justifying  us  docs  something  for  us;  in  begetting 
us  again  He  does  tlie  work  in  us.  |{y  justification,  instead 
of  enemies  we  become  cliildren;  by  sanctification,  in.stead 
of  sinners  we  l)ecome  saints.  'I'hc  first  restores  us  to  the 
favour,  tile  other  to  the  image  <if  dod." 

His  view  of  regeneration  was  inconsistent.  In  his 
"Treatise  on  |}ai)tism,"  pul)Ii-.hed  in  i7.">('.,  he  states  that 
"l}y  liaptism,  we.  wiio  were  "by  nature  cliildren  of  wrath,* 
are  made  the  children  of  (Jod.  And  this  regeneration,  which 
our  Church,  in  so  many  places,  ascribes  to  l{a|)tisin,  is  more 
than  bar«-ly  being  admitted  into  the  Cliiircli,  though  com- 
monly connected  therewith  :  being  'grafted  into  the  body  of 
Christ's  Church,  we  are  made  tlu'  children  of  Cod  by  adop- 
tiim  and  grace.'"  Again  in  his  -.erniun  on  the  Xcw  liirtli 
he  says,  "It  is  certain  our  Cluinli  >.ui)])ose>  that  all  who  art- 
baptized  in  their  infancy  are.  at  the  >anic  time,  born  again; 
and  it  is  allowc!  'hat  the  whole  OHi.e  for  the  Haptisni  of 
Infants  proceeds  upon  this  Mip|)o-itiun.  Nor  i^  it  an  objec- 
tion of  any  weight  against  tlii>  that  we  .aiiiiot  comprehend 
how  this  work  can  be  wrought  in  infants.  For  neither  can 
we  eoniprehend  how  it  is  wrought  in  a  per-on  of  riiicr years."' 
This  was  .sound  .\nglicanisiii,  but  when  Woley  faced  the 
truth  that  ngenerated  infants  dcveloiicd  into  iiniiii>takablc 
sinners,  he  promptly  abamluned  it.  Hec..nii!ig  iiniiaticnt 
with  the  futility  of  arguing  i)ack  tu  any  presumptive  change 
m  infancy,  he  cxclainied,  '  llou  entirely  idle  are  the  ( oin- 
mon  disjjiites  on  tlii>  head!  I  tell  a  >iimer,  '  ^'..u  nui>t 
be  born  again  I"  '.No  "  si\  ymi,  'iie  un.  ii,,rn  again  in  bap- 
li.siii ;     therefore    he    cannot    lie    born    auain."     Alas,    \\hat 

'  L.  Tyermaii:  "Life  an.l  I'lm,-  ,.i  ,l.,lii]  W,  -l,.\  '       \  ..1,  U.  i,|..  ji.i   .'i,-,. 


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:'.1<l      TIIKKK    liKl.lCldls    I.K.\1)I;Ks    n|-    (iNl'dKI) 

tntlini:  i-  flii>  '  \Mi:it  if  in-  \\;i-  tlicn  ,i  cliilil  nf  dod'  He 
i-  now  m;itiir<'stly  ;i  i|ii|i|  ,,( the  ilc\  i!  'riicrct'urf  <l<)  imt  plii\ 
ii|inii  uunl^.  lie  iiiii^t  ^1)  tliniiiL'li  iiii  riitirc  clianttf  uf 
liiart.  .  .  .  ItrnitinlxT  that  it'  ritlicr  he  up  \mii  die  witlidiit 
it,  ,\niir  l>ii|iti->iii  \k\\\  l)f  -n  U\r  I'min  (.rntitiii^'  \(iu  that  it 
will  '_'rcatl\  iiHTca^c  \niir  ilariiiiaiiuii."  Ilcrf.  a^  \\a>  his 
<ii-t(Mii.  \Vr-~li'\  ii.Mccnird  hiniM'lf  with  the  fact->  of  tht- 
ia~f  anil  left  the  tlucirit^  tu  laki'  rare  nC  thfiiiM-hc^.  'I'hc 
tun  -tan  lanl-  arc  lianl  tu  m  niiciic,  imr  did  he  attempt  tlifir 
niiniciliatidii  ,  lie  iirrlVrri'd  ii<  dwell  on  the  transforniiitioti 
whieli  (umI  etVeet-  111  the  sniil  when  lie  rai-e^  it  tViini  the 
death  lit  -in  \<i  the  lite  uf  riuhteun-nes-,  rerreatin^  it  in 
<'liri-t  .le-u~,  am!  renew  ini:  it  in  [Ii-  own  iiketies-.  At 
that  nininent  '  lie  aUtctinn- were  tran-ferred  fnun  thinj,'- teni- 
imral  t'.  t! 'iiL  "trriial  ;  priiji  lueanie  hiirnilit\ .  and  passion 
nieekiit  •  .  ha.  rd,  iiixv.  and  malice  were  -ujiplanted  l.v  a 
-ineere,  tenil^T.  di-nitiTe-ied  |o\  e  f,  rf  all  mankind.  He 
did  not  iii-i-I  upon  the  in  i.int  iiienii-ne- ■ 'if  tlii-  revohitioii. 
althoii;;!!  lie  liail  lieen  told  li\  lioliler  that  it  nielirred  at  a 
i;i\en  iniiineiit.  I  emiteiKl.  nut  lor  liri  nm-taiiee,  hnt  fur 
the  -iilotaiiee."  lie  nli-er\ei|.  "So  \iii;  i  ;in  attain  it  another 
wa.\.  do;    iiiilv    -ee  that   \iin  do  attain  it  " 

Ilis  -eriiion  on  "The  l>iit.\  of  <  on-tant  <  omnnmion.  " 
imlilished  ill  I7^^,  -how-  tiiat  In  looked  Upon  the  l'",iieliari-t 
a-  the  food  of  -oiij-,  i^d\  in^;  -tren^tii  for  the  performanee 
of  duty,  and  leadint;  it-  reeipieiits  toward  perfeetioii.  He 
held  lioth  Sacrament-  in  -iich  reverence  that  he  per-i-t- 
entlv  refii-ed  to  allow  either  of  them  to  he  admiiii-tered  hy 
any  except  e[)i-copail\  ordained  eleri:\  men.  Nevertliele--  he 
wa-  not  a  Sacraincntarian  in  the  -en-e  that  permit-  ont- 
ward  and  \i-ilile  ijin  -  to  di-iijace  an  inward  and  renew  inu 
>:raee  ;  a  ;:race,  a-  he  a\o\ved.  ri'cei\ed  li>  faith,  not  !i\ 
material  media,  iiiid  w  Inch  depend-  upon  tlie  witiie—  of  the 
lio!\  spirit  and  ih'  a--nrancc  of  the  lieiiever's  heart,  rather 
than  upon  eonforn.ity  in  cominMnieatin;;.  .\u'aiii,  thi-  a-snr- 
aiiee  ditlcred  from  tin   tenet  of  final  ixr-cveraiice  ;  it  ronid  In- 


iii 


.inllN    \\h->|.KV 


Ml 


fi>rftit«-(|  liy  lack  nf  t'aitli  or  la|>M'  of  rnixliK  t  ;  it  was  a<t'\c 
(inly  in  tlm-c  who  coiitiiiiicil  .tcadl;!  ■  in  udl-doinj;,  ,.,,,,1 
will  Im.iitjlit  fortli  till-  fruit  ,.!'  -■■_  iit.'..ii^iit--  in  tlicir  ilaily 
li\<>.  It  \\a>  al>n  (iiariiririi  all_\  u|.,mim(!  to  the  iioviTninj; 
concept  of  >accrtlotaIi^in,  .\n;;liiaii  a-  ucil  a-  Koinan.  which 
rcpinliatc  til.'  iilca  of  tlic  l.clicvcr'-  ccriainis  of  foririvcncss, 
sa\c  nil  |>ric-tly  aiitliorit>  in  tin  iiicilicxal  ClMinli  the 
iny-ti(-  aloiic  profe-~MMl  tlii-  iii(lcpciiilciit  (ertitnde;  \V\e- 
litfe  rejcrte.!  it  .•'liM,|iitc|\  .  (  al'.  ill  fciiiid  no  Miflii  n  nt  place 
f">r  it  in  hi  det.  rtnini^tic  M-hctnc :  i.iiilicr.  though  it  v  a-- 
contained  iii  hi- teaching;  on  sd\atioii  l)\  fauh.  redded  from 
it  ill  proportion  a>  he  narrowed  thi  iinaiiiii':  <it  tai,h  to 
intcll-.tual  acceptance  of  do-iiia.  'I'lie  (  hiinh  of  Kn>,'land 
\\a-  coimniiied.  h\  the  implication  i.(  hir  I  loniiii.-,  if  not 
l)\-  their  -pccihc  lieclaration-.  to  Uic  (io.t.inc  of  a--iirance; 
l)Ut  th;-  hail  liecii  (om|iictc|\  o\erlookcd,  and  \\c-le\'-. 
teaching'  ua>  in\i-ted.  even  in  the  mind  .<\'  her  leadini; 
in>triiclor>.  u  ith  ,1  daimcroii-  il  not  hcrciiiai  ti-ndcin  \ .  an- 
other illn>tratioii,  "  a^  I  )r  Workman  remark-,  -ol'  the 
familiar  truth  tiiai  -he  uorkini:  .rr,  d  ■  l  ,i  (  Imrdi  arc  l.y 
no  mean-  the  full  ..mivnt-  of  it-  ollj.  lal  ->mliol-.' 

The  doctrine  of  '  nri-tian  pcrfirtjon  «.,.  the  <  row  n 
of  \\e>|e\ ',  teachin::.  and  the  corol|ar>  ..|  hi-  appeal  to 
experience.  A  iienuiiie  con-c  iii-ne--  of  -on-hip  in  the  l>e- 
iie\er   iniplic-   the   iio--il.iht\    that    -iich    con-cioii-nc--    may 

'"•<■<"'•• nplete,    and    llii-    a-    a    prc-elit    po— ihilils,    (  i-( 

the  e\|ierieiicc  would  not  Im'  III  I  iin-<  ioii-iic--  It-  inward 
truth  ha-  hei-n  eotmnon,  a-  an  c\|Krience  rather  iliaii  a- 
a  d(Mtrinc.  to  >aint-  of  all  ai:e-.  It  ha-  I.eeii  n,i-int<r- 
l)reted  through  nf,'ardiii-  tim.  a-  an  actnalitv  rathir  than 
a-  a  ((iialitx  of  con-cioit-nc--,  the  latter  Itcin-  \\cde\  \ 
under-tandiiiu  of  it.  'I'i  ..-c  who  w.iild  .li-mi—  it  either 
as  an  e^oi-tical  d<hi-ioi  or  an  irnlcMciit  dream,  which, 
like  that  of  St.  IV.iiici-.  ..iniiot  ompoiii.  (ontact  with  the 
earth,  nia\  perhap-  he  imliiiiil  to  inin  to  it  atrain  li\  the 
ol)-,er\ation  of   l'rofc--oi    lln\lc\.  t'l.it    p<  rhi  til)ilit \    i-  the 


I    'I 
I 


i;i 


li 


u 


J 


=i 


I  i 


i'l  li 

f       ,! 


Mi 


342      THHKE    KKLICIOUS   I.KADKKS  OF   OXFORD 

one  nitional   jronl  of  ])rt>nr(ssivf  existonco.     This  supgosts 
the  furtlur  rffltctioii  that  tin-  lifr  oviThistiiin  would  svvm 
to  .l.in.iMd  the  Hhiil  unity  of  all  hrinj;  in  the  liknicss  and 
will  of  (iod.     Wc-lcy  derived  his  idt'al  from  those  Seriptvirul 
passape^  which  enjoin  unreserved  surrender  to  Christ  Jesus, 
and  a  heart  overflowing  with  love  toward  (Iod  and  man.     He 
not  only  expounded  these  v'raee^  without  faltering;,  hut  also 
virified   the  type  of  Christian    life  they    i)rodu(ed    l.y   an 
open  discussion   of  its  results.      Wherever  they   were  prac- 
tir-ed    he    noted    a    (|uickeniM<;   ainon^;  his   j)eople,   and    this 
caused  him  to  preach  ])erfeetion  more  con>tantly,  a-  of  the 
utmost  imiH)rtance  for  the  growth  of  helievers.     Writiu};  to 
Adam  Clarke  i.|   Xovendxr,   17!M),  he  says,   "To  retain^lie 
grace  of  (Iod,  is  inuc  h  more  than  to  gain  it  ;    hardly  one  in 
three  does  this.     .\nd  this  should  he  strongly  an<l  explicitly 
urged  upon  all  who  have  tasted  of  perfect  love.     If  we  can 
prove   that    any    of   our   local    i)reachers   or    leaders,    either 
direetiv  or  indireetl-  ,  sj»eak  against   it,  h't   him   he  a   local 
preacher  or  l.'adcr  no  longer  .   .   .  how  impossihle  it   is  to 
retain   pure   love   without   growing   therein,"'     To   Rohert 
Braekeid)ury  he  wrote  in  the  same  year,  "This  doctrine  is 
the  grand  depo>itiuii  which  (umI  has  lodged  with  the  people 
called    Metliodi>t>;    and,  for  the  sake  of  proj)agating  this 
chiefly.    He    apjieared    to     have    raised     them    up."-      He 
commentc.l  on  the  Society  at  Otiey   in   Yorkshire:    "Here 
hcgan  that  glorious  work  of  sanctificatio?)  which  now  from 
time  to  time  spread  through  most  parts  of  l':igland  and  all 
the  s(.uth  and  uc.t  of  Ireland.     And  wherever  the  work  of 
sanctiHcation  increase,!,  the  whole  work   of   Co.l   increaMcl 
in  all  it>  hranilu-."     He  had  visited  the  Otley  Methodists 
and  examined  them  one  hy  „ne.     .Some  of  them  he  (h>ul)ted, 
hut  of  th<-  majorifx    he  wrote.  "  Cnh'ss  th<-y  told  wilful  and 
<lehl«r..Ic  lie-,  it  wa-  plain  :   M  ^  That  they  felt  no  inward  sin. 
and,  to  ti'ie  1„  .t  of  their  knowl.'dge.  committed  no  outward 


I.ifi'  :iii'l  Tiiiit-.  .,f  ,|,,|iii  W  (•:-!,.>"  :    Vul.  Ill,  p.  m^. 


JOHN   WESLEY 


343 


sin.  (2)  That  they  saw  and  loveil  Go<l  every  moment,  and 
prayed,  rejoiced,  and  jjave  thanks  evcniiore.  ('.))  That  tiny 
had  constantly  us  ch-ar  a  witness  from  Cum\  (»f  sanetiHca- 
tion  as  tiiey  iiad  of  jnstifieatioii.  In  thi>."  lie  ad<hd,  "I  do 
rejoice  and  will  rejoice.  .  .  .  1  would  to  (mkI,  thousands  had 
experienced  tluis  nnich ;  let  them  afterwards  experience 
as  much  more  as  (lod  pleases. "  ' 

In  his  "Plain  .Vccdiiiit  of  Christian  rerfc<ti()n"  lie  dwelt 
upon  it  at  Icnjith,  hut  iles|)itc  his  axowais  many  devout 
Methodists  have  lield  that  while  tliesc  higher  levels 
are  divinely  authorized,  tliey  are  not  always  humanly 
possible.  Nor  was  \Ve>lcy  under  any  delu>ion  concerniiin 
the  measure  of  his  own  sauctili(  atiou.  He  never  claimed 
for  himself  that  the  f;o;d  was  won :  on  the  contrary,  it 
was  ever  before  him,  and  his  laui:uat;e  was  that  of  antici- 
pation rather  than  ac(|nirciiiciit.  He  scrupulously  avoided 
the  phrase,  "sinless  perfection,"  yx  tiic  term  perfection 
was  itself  suscc|)tih|e  of  al>nse,  Ixitii  from  the  inditVcrciit 
and  from  those  whose  zeal  outran  tlicir  kno\\lcd{;e.  Stand- 
inj;  midway  Itctwcen  these  c\trcnii>ts  wa'-  a  ^touj)  of  men 
and  women  who  sati>ficd  lii^  iii;;lic-t  hopc^.  Cardinal 
Ni'wman'>  tc^t  of  the  claim  of  m  Cliurch  to  he  in  the 
aj)o>tolic  succession  l>y  it>  ability  to  produce  saint^  was 
not  only  met  by  John  rictchcr  and  Thomas  Wal>h,  to 
whose  -vijlcndor  and  scrcnit\  tiic  world  could  ofVer  no  liribe. 
but  also  by  -uch  ciiildrcn  of  Mctliodi>m  as  Ilamiiih  Ball, 
Nancy  Bolton,  Hester  Hoircr-,  Martha  TliompMiu,  William 
Bramwell,  Koi^cr  Crane,  Kzckiel  Cooper,.  Thoma>  Taylor, 
|)avi(l  .Stoner,  William  Carvo^Mi,  Thoina>  Collins,  Benja- 
min M.  .\dain>.  Bishop  Marvin,  William  Owen  of  Olil 
I'ark,  and  numbe^le■^s  others  elect  souN  who  verified  t!  e 
reality  of  Christ's  word,  "I  am  conic  that  they  miirlit  l!;;\  r 
life,  and  that  flicy  might  lia\c  it  more  abundantlx." 

The  contrast  furni>lic(|  by  tiic  uii>cenily  ebullitions  of  ;• 
cult  of  perfectionists  in  the  London  Society  ;;rie\'cd  Wesley, 

'  L.  Tyorniiiii         UU-  iin.l    Tinu'-  "f  .|„|,,i  W,-|ov"  ,    Vol.  II.  p.   »17. 


M' 


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'M4      TIIUKK    UHLKUOLS    LKADKUS  OK   OXFOUD 

and  alarni«"<l  tlit-  tiion-  s«-<latf  hrctlircn.     Thomas  MaxfieM. 
anioiiK  (itliiT  lica<ly  I'liiotionalists,  Iwfrati  hy  profes.sinR  entire 
sanctification.    and    ended    in    hysterieal' delusions,     {'[xm 
beinn   rehuked    l.y    the   preachers,    he   displaynj    a   teniiH-r 
anything    l)ut    holy,    and    KletelHr,   anxious   for   the    pres- 
ervation of  Kciuiin.'  spirituality,  wrote  to  Wesley :  "Many 
of  our    brethren    an-    overshooting   sober    Christianity   ili 
London.  .  .   .     The  corruption  of  tin-  best  things  is  alwavs 
the    nio^t    corrupt."     When     Wesley    returned     there,   'in 
October,    17(il>,   he   found   the  Society   rent   in  twain,  ati<i 
Maxfield  and  his  sympathizers  i.icline<l  to  further  mischief. 
They  had  withdrawn  from  fellow>lui).and  one  of  them,(;eorKe 
Bell,  a  fornuT  soldier  and  a  noisy  fellow  whose  obsessions 
were  incurable,  became  a  full-blown  i)ro|)het  of  the  .Millennial 
A.lvent,  which  he  soleinidy  annoinictHl  would  take  place  on 
Kel)ruary    2S,    ]7(\:i     (I.hI    ha.l    dou.-    with    preaching   and 
()rdmances,  and    His   presence  was   now  strictiv   limited   to 
the    assemblies    of    the    ncllit.-s.     These    lurid' apo<,ilvpses 
led  astray  the  unwary,  and    Wesley's  4)atience  with  'them 
<ease<l  to  be  a  virtue.     But  Maxfield,  who  throuKh  the  ^(hkI 
offices  of  Wesley  had  obtained  ordination  from   the  Bishop 
of    London.lerry,   had    be<-n   prominent   in   MetlaxlLsm,  and 
Ucsley  was  reluctant  t(.  silence  the  preacher  who  had  reeeiv«-<l 
the    commeiKlalion  of    his  mother.     Finally  Maxfield  with- 
drew  froiu  the  Society,  taking'  two  hundred   of  its   niem- 
l)ers  with    him,   to  whom    hv  ministere<l  for  twentv    vears 
after  the  schism.      It  is  sratifyinK  to  add  that  toward  the 
(•los<-  of  his  life  he  came  to  a    better  mind;  friendiv   rela- 
tions with  his  old  associates  were  resumed  ;    Weslev  preached 
m  his  church,  and  visited  him  in  his  last  illness.     Th,-  dissen- 
sions cost    the   London  .Sxiety    four   hundre.1   niemlHTs,   a 
loss  from   which   it  <lid   not   recover  f(.r  a   lonj;  i)erio.l.     In 
the  se(|uence,  however,  the  i)UrKint:  was  beneficial.      Phari- 
saism  was  haltc.l.  an.l   credulity   an<l    irrational  exaltation 
were  discontinncl.      Similar  -listurban.es  in  later  times  have 
raised  the  (|iiestion  whether  the  distinction  l)etween  regen- 


m 


.lOIIN    WKSI.KY 


;«.•) 


tTiitioii  and  saiictificiitioii  i>  valiil  in  actnal  rxiMTicncc,  or 
wlu'tlitT  tin-  latttT  is  sinij)l\  an  intensified  ex|»re»iiin  nf 
re^ct-neration.  In  any  ease,  tlie  moral  is  tliat  doctrines 
should  he  as  catholie  in  scope  and  sinii)li<ity  as  tlic 
nature  of  the  truths  tiiey  are  intended  to  set  forth  will 
allow.  MetlxMlisni  was  hound  to  keej)  alight  on  its  altars 
the  flame  of  holiness,  though  |)erha|>s  they  mi^ht  have  \>vvn 
more  etl'ectually  guarded  a;;ainst  >tran>;e  fires.  He  this  as 
it  may,  in  nothing;  did  \Ve--le.\  show  his  sa^a(  ity  more  admi- 
rably than  in  his  refusal  to  yield  to  senseless  \ai)orin>js  on  the 
one  hand,  or,  on  the  other,  to  lassitude  and  indifference. 

While  the  heart  is  not  anotiier  kind  of  rea■^on,  it  is  a 
riH'ojini/ANl  faculty  for  discerning  truth.  It  represents 
implicit  jud^'inent>,  the  relative  valuo  of  ditl'erent  senti- 
ments and  purposes,  and  sup|)lies  the  rc^nilatin^;  |)rincii)les 
of  life,  ('ixm  it  Wesley  relied  for  tliese  j;ifts  in  the  enforce- 
ment of  his  tcacliint:-.  Witii  I'lato  and  St.  I'.-ml  and  other 
prophets,  lie  jierceived  hy  it^  iilninination  thin;;s  eternal, 
and  tliat  tliese  could  he  attained  liy  niortaU.  lie  modified 
these  implicit  jml^cnicnts,  and  fashioned  tlieni  into  the 
.stated  beliefs  now  known  as  Wc-hyan  theology.  It  was 
not  always  easy  to  <lo  this,  hut  lie  |MTM-\rred  until  he  felt 
he  hail  alike  satisfied  tlw  claims  of  rca-on  and  of  relij;ion. 
His  success  was  apparent  in  tli(i>e  wlio  rcccixcd  In-  iMcs--aj;e : 
they  were  no  lonjjer  eiisnarcd  in  a  nn  landHil  rotation  of 
simiinn  and  rcix-ntinj;,  hut  hu\infr  tjaincd  tlic  liiuTty  of  the 
children  of  (  Jim  1,  became  a  |)eo|)lc  "for  Ili^  own  pd-.scv^inn." 
unafraid  in  the  day  of  battle,  and  who  made  a  ^ptM-ific 
contribution  not  onl\  to  the  life  and  tlioiii;lit  ot  Protestant- 
ism, but  to  "the  total  of  truth  and  \anta;.'e  of  mankind." 
He  also  transferred  tlic  basis  of  tin-  dixtrinc  nf  as-^ur- 
ance  from  the  otijccti\c  trroniuis  of  ihe  ("hnrcli  and  tli<> 
Sacraments  to  tho^e  of  an  c\i)erinicnial  witncs-,  within  the 
believer.  .Mthoiijrh  he  substituted  an  infallible  Bcnk  for 
an  infallible  Church,  it  was  not  nece^-ary  to  tlic  structure 
of  which   he  was  the  architect.      Methodist    thcnlniix    i-  not 


i'  i 


i; 


f 


I       I. 


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;  I: 


^\' 


•m      TUItKK    KKIJCIOIS    LKADKKS  OF   OXFORD 

M.  liiKl.lN   arti.ulato.1  that  it.  living  growth  cannot  supply 
tlu-  wa.M.-s  ,iuM,m-.l  In  Inrj;.-  v.riati.ms  of  thmiKht  or  advaiurn 
in    kiumlojj,..     h.  a.»iV.,n.n.t  ,.f  fxp«>ri..n(v  as  tho  final 
.•nt.Tion  of  rdinious  tnitl.  K.mnls  it  fmni  tlu-  iiahilitit-sof 
I.x>  fortunatr  sv>t,.n.,  whi,.|,  ,|ar,.   „„t  vid.l  one  pmnise 
w.tl.ont  tr..laMK,-rinK  tlu-  ontirc  arKunu-nt.     But  its   dain, 
for  ti...  valhlity  of  intro>,HrtioM  atui  its  suhonlination   of 
tl.e  ol.jortiv,.  to  tlu-  suLj-.-.tiv,-  w.-ri-  k.-pt  within  l.uun.l., 
an.l  It  IS  "tlu-  .•onjnn.tioii  of  l„.|i,-f  in  the  authority  of  an 
orpinu-  (hurch  with  insistour  u,M,n  tlu-  value  an.l  roulitv 
o     nuhvulual   c-xp,-ri.n.r  as  tlu-  final   t.-st  whirl,  givt-s  to 
.M.-tluMlisin   Its  >p,.cial  |)oMtion  in  tlu-  Catholii-  (^hurc-h  "  ' 
llu-   sectarian    as.rti.iMn    which    ,.|ou(li..l    English    sotietv 
with   tlu-  gl.H.n.    of    l,ij;otry   was   not     unknown    in   Wev 
eyanism        I  nt.l  tlu-  Tra.tarians  taught  the  ueecltHj  lesson 
tiu.t  all  hfe  was  san.tifie.l  in  d.rist.  a  suspi.-ion  of  rulture 
an.!  of  tlu-  a-stlu-tu-  .-onMun.-e  wa.  found  in  Methodism  as 
a  natural  reviil>u.n  against  their  abuse  elsewhere 

Its  Muur  hi.torN    i>  a  re.oni  of  tlu-  freedom  aiul  univer- 

sality  of  tlu-  (,o>p,.i  operating  on  a  scale  which  has  seldom 

•f  ever,   luen   e(,nale,l   M„ce    tlu-  earliest    ages,  wlu-n,  as  it 

s.-enu-d  to   the   hrst    n.i.sionaries  of    the  Cross,   the   rest.»- 

ratu.n  of    all    tlungs  was    at  han.l.      (•rK,uesti..nal.lv   it   is 

the  pur,-M  ,,ha>e  of  New  T.-sta.nent  Christianitv  whiVh  has 

ar.M-n  u,  nu-dern  tinu-..     (),u-  is  fiHd  no  less  with  wonder 

at  tlu-  nu-asnre  of  its  achievenu-nts  than  with  the  .-onviction 

of  Its  on..,,  in  tlu-  .ounsels  of  Kt.-rnity.     Without  adventi- 

u.us  auls  or  c,u.-stional.l,-  allian.es.  .l.-spis.-.!  an.l  rejeet.-.! 

In  t  u-  WiM-  an.l  gr.-at  of  tlu-  world,  ,-niploying  for  its  propa- 

Kaiuhi   the   Mn»etter.-,|    Kvang.l   nu-liat.-d    through   Wesl'-v 

an-    n-lyuig  .oh-Iy  „,,„„  tlu-  Holy  Spirit  for  its  su.-eess.  tlu^ 

htth-  ...mpany   which   fir.l    fo||ow.-d   him   has  multipli,-,l   in 

many  lan.ls.  an.l  ,„  sonu-  i.  tlu-  dominant  Pr..t.stantism  .,f 

tins  .-ra.  As  su.h  it  nm.t  1..-  .■xplain.-.l,  ,-ith.r  l.y  the  scientific 


'A    New   lli,t,,rv  of  M,.ili.„|,M„- 
Wdrkiiiiiu,  uimI  G    K-.iyT-:  \\,\    l    ,,    m' 


■'litfil  liy  W    J.  Tuwiisi-iiJ.  11.  U. 


■i 


JOHN   WESLEY 


347 


mcthcxls  whkli  now  provail  in  the  study  of  the  pust,  or 
troati-d  as  a  religious  ni\ stiry  witliout  any  iRrirptihli-  caiisf. 
Tlu-orifs  wliicli  limit  tlio  convi-yani*'  of  saving'  iiuuv  to 
pnscrilK-d  clianncls  of  aiK»to|i(al  Mi<ct>>ioii  will  have  tti  Ik- 
acooiiurKMlatcil  to  the  rna|;iiituilc>  of  tlii^  latrst  olfsprinn 
from  the  lii;;luT  i»o\v«rs.  or  Mitftr  tlic  fati-  of  liypotliests 
which  ifjiutri'  integral  facts. 

The  most  vivid  dcliiuation  of  the  iimer  life  of  .MetlKxIisin 
is  found  in  the  liynuis  of  ( "harles  Wesley,  which  have  glorified 
''liristian  worshij)  more  than  any  otiier  similar  lyrics,  with 
the  |)ossil)le  i-xception  of  tlio>e  written  Ity  l>aac  Watts. 
They  set  forth  intimate  as  distinguished  from  legalistic 
religion,  radiant  with  the  lieanty  of  holiness  and  the  arts 
of  consolation,  and  oscrflowing  with  Undernexs  and  joy. 
The  cry  of  iKnitcnce,  the  answer  of  faith,  tiie  defiance  of 
iieatli.  the  souml  as  of  a  trumpci.  the  opened  vials,  the 
broken  seals,  tile  solemn  doom  of  Judgment,  the  trim  ii)hiint 
certainty  of  an  immortality  of  passionlos  renown,  and  all 
the  signs  and  wonders  of  the  Kingdom's  triiunph.  were  more 
p^Tsuasively  aial  exultingly  ex|)re>M-d  in  tliem  tiian  in  any 
other  prcKlnctions  of  sacred  literature  since  the  Hefcirma- 
tion.  Their  principal  theme  was  the  adoration  of  the 
Kverlasting  Father  ft>r  His  >upremc  gift  in  Jesus  Christ 
and  for  the  love  He  is  always  seeking  to  impart  through 
Him  to  His  children. 

"  Tis  I,ovp  :  'ti^  Lovp  :     Thnii  dicNt  for  mo  ! 
I  lir.ir  Tliy  \vlii-.|)<>r  in  my  lirnrf , 
The  morning  lirciiks,  thv  sli.idows  floe, 
Pure  univiTsjil  Loxe  'I'liim  art; 
To  mo.  to  nil.  'I'liy  mcrcii-i  nio\o; 
Tiiy  iiiitiirc  aiKJ  Tli\  ii;uiio  !■.  I,ovo." 

The  peasants  who  turned  from  their  ancestral  fanes  to 
Worship  in  the  himible  meeting-houses  where  such  praises 
rang  forth  were  amply  rewarded  hy  the  streiigtli  and 
comfort  they  imparted.  Here  the  Real  Presence  was 
nianife.sto<i   before    their  reverent   faith    while  with   Ni<Te<l 


liiii 


t  il 


1 


'MS      TIIUKi;    IJKI.KIKM  s    LKADKUS   ((K   OXKOUI) 

x-i.K'  tluv  iiia.lr  iimLkIx  in  tlu-ir  linirt^.  In  tlirir  in- 
M>t«Mi<,'  n|Hiii  iMT^niial  ^in.  iMrM.iml  fuPKiv«-n«>s.  m„|  ,ht- 
suniil  ii»iiriintr.  ilir  liunris  nliu  tin-  imliviilnalisin  whi.li 
H  a  .loiiiinant  la.tr  of  tlu-  (m.^jhI  it.  its  rsMiitial  applicntion. 
I.ut  th.N  <in  not  rx|.r..»  tliuM-  larpr  :.iMial  a>|Hrt.s  i)f  rt-li- 
irion  wliidi  arc  now  inono|M.li/in).' the  vision  of  the  Churrh. 
(  liarl.s's  |.r.Hln<ti\.-nfss  was  annizinj:;  lir  wrotr  ovt-r  nix 
llinnsan.l   ((.mpositioiis.  of  vcrv  nn«<|nal  .|nalif\,  Init  initn- 

'"•'■'">•'  ■^ '•   misiirpasscl   in  an.v    lannnap'.     \lv  wa>   in  a 

iiiarki.l  .|,.jrr.f  thr  ircatur.  of  his  inspiration.  Soni.-tinu-s 
Ih>  p.Htir  iinpuNf  lianllv  lift.il  hini  alx.v.-  tlu-  flatnrss  of 
•lojrpnl,  av'ain  it  sn.|.l..nlv  failnl  aft.T  a  hiirst  of  proniisr. 
l>iit.  HI  tliosr  sustained  »li;;|,ts  of  |\  rical  raptiin-  wlii(li»it 
ocrii^ionally  ina.ii'.  it  ojHiutl  for  tin-  p.Kt  a  passaKr  to  tlio 
skirs  an.l  raisfl  him  as  on  s.raph  win^s  to  tin-  v.tv  tlirom- 
"f  (J<hI.  Mis  hymn,  "l.siis.  Lov.r  of  mv  sonl."  stands  at 
the  sunnnit  of  .nh-s  of  its,,r.hr;  that  on  "Wn-tliriK  .lacob" 
Isaac  Watts  av.rrr.i  to  I..-  anion);  the  fin.st  rv.-r  writtt'ti ; 
"  n.joi.f.  th.-  Lord  is  KinK"  is  an  •■niin-lv  diirm-nt  l.nt 
«<|i'i'lly  "<»l>l<'  .xamph'  of  his  powers.  Thfs.-  an<l  ..thi-rs  of  a 
iiotal.l.v  hi^rh  chara.  t,  r  havr  Imtii  wov.'ii  into  tin-  v.tv  fihrr 
of  millions  of  sonls.afi.l  in  tluin  wr  ronn'  to  tl.r  sanctuni  sanc- 
torum ..t  (  hristian  faith.     .Nor  is  it  Um  nnicli  to  affirm  that 

*'"■>  '"■•;  '" '■  <•"•  >tron>;,.st  l)on.ls  of  universal  Christian 

fellowship.  Th,.  limitations  un.lir  which  |MM-trv  must  alwavs 
iiioxc  arc  mon-  scxcrdy  felt  in  hymnal  com|M."sition  than  "in 
other  forms  of  its  .xprcsMo,,.  Dr.  Johnson  (ioclare.!  that 
nictn.al  sonjrs  m.-aiit  lor  Christian  worship  could  m.t  Im> 
|).K-try.  since  it  was  iiccssary  to  «.x<hide  from  them  that  plav 
of  imaKmation  wind,  w(.nld  violate  orth(Hlo.\y.  On  the 
<ontrary,  this  t.rm  has  little  meaninj:  in  liym"nolo>;y  :  a 
NKTcd  lyric  necl  l>ut  amuse  the  devout  sentiments  that 
control  humaii  nature  to  Mciire  a  plac-  in  the  services  of 
c\ery  M(t.  'Hicrc  i.  u„  Letter  <vi.|<.nce  of  the  U(iderlyiii>; 
unity  of  truly  nliuioii>  natures  than  their  inde|H'nde!u"e  of 
th.'olov'ical    vpc(  Illations  „  hen    they   find    a    hymn  which 


.MIIIN    WKSI.KY 


:u\) 


hIriiii.H  their  spirits  with  tlir  Spirit  of  the  Ktcriml.  Truf 
th»'.v  n'vprt  to  tlinnnM-*!-  uKiiiii,  Imt  stanzas  that  voicr  with 
Klouing  phra.s«>  the  iiii<i>ii(pi«>rahh-  In  li>'f>  of  nicii  also  fa>liinii 
them,  ami  in  this  n's|H'(t  <'liarlr^  Wesley  pi\«'  tin*  jx-ople 
niueh  of  their  theology. 

John's  fastidious  taste  n'vis«il  his  hrother's  |MK'try  ami 
ino(lifie<i  its  exdln'rames.  His  own  translations  of  the 
Moravian  hymns,  whih-  xunewhat  lialil  an<l  literal,  wen- 
excellent  ;  amoiiK  them  are  Schefller's  "  1  thank  Thee,  un- 
created One,"  and  'IVrste^teen's  "Thou  hidden  |o\<'  of  (mmI 
unknown,"  which  has  in  it  "a  >ound  a>  ot  the  sound  of  the 
seu.'  .lohn  Hakewell  and  Kdward  I'erronett  also  wrote 
some  choice  lyrics,  hut  it  was  roerved  for  Thomas  Olivers 
to  rival  even  Charles  Wesley  in  his  sublime  ascription  tu 
the  EverlustiuK : 

"'nu-  (iixj  nf  Aliraliuiii  praise,  — 
Willi  rt'i)jii->  fiitlirotii'il  iiliovi', 
Aiii'ii'iit  of  F.MTliisiiii);  iliiys 
Anil  (iimI  of  loMv 
•h'hiiviih,  (ireiit  !  Am, 
By  furtli  mill  JifiiM-ii  i-oiifcst ; 
I  Imiw,  uihl  liirss  tilt-  Hucrnl  naiiu* 
ForeviT  lilcst." 

CommentinK  on  this  hymn  of  the  little  WcMi  preacher,  whom 
Toplady  ridiculed  as  an  ignorant  lolililer,  James  Mont- 
gomery saiii,  "There  is  not  in  our  lan>;uaj;c  a  Ivric  of  niori- 
mujestic  style,  more  elevaterl,  or  more  glorious  imagery. 
Its  structure  indeed  is  unattractive  on  account  of  the  siiort 
lim-s,  hut  like  a  stately  pile  of  architecture  severe  and  simple 
in  design,  it  strikes  less  on  the  lirst  view  than  after  dcliher- 
ate  examination."  The  realization  of  divine  ^rrace  which 
gave  Methinlism  its  first  outluirst  of  Christian  sonj:  had 
iiuuiy  other  far-reaching'  ellVcts,  Init  noiu-  of  these  <iiinpare 
with  the  influence  of  its  sacn-d  p<Mtry  over  all  classes,  and 
especially  over  the  poor  and  illiterate  multitudes  who 
were  therehy  tauj;ht  to  worship  (Jod   ari^;ht.     I'r.   James 


i 


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^=  {'16)    288  -  5989    -  To, 


350     TftREE    RELIGIOUS  LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

Martineau  asserted  that  the  "Collection  of  Hymns  for  the 
Use  of  the  People  called  Ixlethodists,"  issued  in  1780,  was, 
"after  the  Scripture^  the  grandest  instrument  of  popular 
religious  culture  that  Christendom  has  ever  produced." 

The  beginning  remains  always  the  most  notable  moment, 
and  this  carries  the  genesis  of  Methodism  beyond  the  reach 
of  artificial  growths  in  ecclesiastical  order  into  the  heart 
of   primitive    Christianity.     At    the   risk    of   repetition    it 
must  be  said  that  its  practices  were  really  reproductions 
of  those  which  first  established  the  teaching  of  Jesus.     And 
m  these  lay  its  authority,  for  "when  a  religion  has  become 
an  orthodoxy,  its  day  of  inwardness  is  over ;    the  spring  is 
dry ;   the  faithful  live  at  second  hand  exclusively  and  stone 
the  prophets  in  their  turn.     The  new  Church,"  in  spite  of 
whatever  human  goodness  it  may  foster,  can  be  henceforth 
counted  on  as  a  stanch  ally  in  every  attempt  to  stifle  the 
spontaneous  religious  spirit,  and  to  stop  all  later  bubblings 
of  the  fountain  from  which  in  purer  days  it  drew  its  own 
supply  of  inspiration."  »     There  could  be"  no  better  descrip- 
tion of  the  conditions  which  Methodism  met  and  overcame 
in  the  power  of  a  holier  faith  and  purpose.     God  has  or- 
dained that  life  should  be  endowe<l  with  an  almost  unerring 
discrimination  in  favor  of  its  necessities  and  against  that 
which  is  inimical  to  its  welfare.     Applying  the  ordinance  to 
religion,  we  find  that  when  any  particular  form  of  Christian- 
ity seemed  requisite,  it  emerged  from  the  implicit  to  the 
explicit  stage,  was  then  adopted  as  a  governing  factor,  and 
finally  passed  away  with  the  ending  of  its  usefulness.     This 
process  affords  an  argument  for  the  predetermination  of  the 
end  which  such  forms  have  been  made  to  subserve,  and 
although   the   thcoloirian   and    the   priest    may  mourn   its 
operation,  it  furnisi,      a  basis  for  belief  in  a  superintending 
Power.     This  belief  is  strengthened   by  tiic  fact  that,  be- 
neath these  changes  in  the  superficial   region  of  revealed 
religion,    there    i-    always    an    irreducit)le    body   of    truth 
'  William  James:   "Varieties  of  Religious  Experiouco"  ;   p.  337. 


JOHN    WESLEY 


351 


necessary  to  life,     rpoii  this  sure  foundation,  John  Wesley 
built  his  theology  and  his  Church. 

Before  dealinj;  witli  the  mernorahle  legislation  of  the  year 
17S4,  which  made  the  Societies  in  Britain  and  America  to 
all  intents  and  pur|)oses  self-regulating,  it  is  necessary  to 
speak  of  the  introduction  of  Methodism  into  the  colonies 
of  North  America,  since  its  i)resence  there  precipitated 
its  separation  from  Anglicanism.  Wesleyan  teaching  had 
been  carried  to  New  York  by  Philip  Embury  and  Barbara 
Ileck,  who  were  among  the  immigrants  from  Limerick  in 
17G4  and  17()().  Embury's  devotion  languished  in  his  new 
surroundings  until  Barbara  Heck  revived  it,'  when,  to- 
gether with  other  friends,  they  began  services  in  a  private 
house.  Captain  Webb,  an  officer  of  the  forty-second 
regiment  of  British  infantry  stationed  at  Albany,  who  had 
been  converted  under  Wesley  at  Bristol,  joined  the  little 
company  at  New  York,  and  in  17(1S  a  chapel  was  erected 
in  John  Street,  Embury  making  the  pulpit  with  his  own 
hands,  and  preaching  the  first  sermon  on  October  AO.  From 
these  origins  and  those  at  the  log  meeting  house  on  Sam's 
Creek,  Maryland,  and  at  Lovely  Lane,  Baltimore,  arose 
the  Methodism  which  was  destined  to  surpass  the  parent 
body  in  numbers.  The  English  Conference  of  17()0,  held  at 
Leeds,  received  and  responded  to  an  appeal  for  help  from  the 
American  brethren  by  appointing  liichard  Boardman  and 
Jacob  Pilmoor  as  their  pastors,  and  sul)scribing  fifty  pounds 
towards  the  debt  on  John  Street  Church,  and  twenty  pounds 
for  the  expenses  of  tlie  new  ministers,  Pilmoor  wasstationed 
at  Philadelphia,  and  Boardman  in  New  York.  Lloyd's 
Evening  Post  of  London,  amused  by  these  bold  measures, 
announced  that  other  promotions  would  soon  be  listed : 
"The  Rev'd.  George  Whitcficld  to  be  Archbishop  of  Bos- 
ton, Rev'd.  William  Uomaine  to  be  Bishop  of  New  York, 
Rev'd.   John   Wesley   to   be   Bishop   of    Pennsylvania,   the 


ui 


u 


'  Despite  conimon  report   some  moJer-i  Methodista  hiiVi 
author  that  Kmhury  did  not  lose  his  zeal. 


informed  the 


i 


■  » 


.(' 


if,! 


f  r ' 


3r)2      TMKKK    RKLKWOUS    LKADKKS   OK   OXFORD 

lU'v'.l.  Martin  Madaii  to  In-  IJishop  ,>f  tlu-  Carolina.-,, 
I{t'\ M.  Walter  Sliirlf.v  to  ho  Hisliop  of  \ir>riiiia  and  KevM.' 
Cliarlt's  Wcslfv  to  lu'  liisliop  of  N,,va  Sct.tia;"  a  s(niil)  in 
wliich  a  clown  for  once  canic  lu-ar  to  jjropluH'v. 

Hfforo  tlic  War  of  huK-ptMidonce,  American   MetlKxIisni 
had  a  niemhersliip  „f  :!l  4S,  yet  in  1777  the  minutes  of  the 
Kn^lish  Conference  do  not  even  mention  the  branch  in  the 
colonies.     "They  inform  me,"  said   Wesley,   "that  all  the 
Methodists  there  are  firm  for  the  (Jovernment  and  on  that 
account  persecuted  hy  the  rebels,  only  not  to  the  death; 
that  the  preachers  are  still  threatened  i)ut  not  stopped,  and' 
*!!"^ '.'"',. ""'"'^  "*^  ^''*"'   ""•■'■fases  much   in   Maryland  and 
\irj;nna."     He   was  stronjriy   opposed    to  the   Revolution; 
an<l  his  pamphlet,  issued  in  177.-),  "A  Calm  Address  to  our 
American  Colonies,"  which  procured  for  him  the  thanks  of 
the  British  government,  added  greatly  to  the  distres.ses  and 
difficulties  of  his  disciples  in  the  West.     The  pampiilet  was 
an  almost  literal  transcription  of  that  undiluted  sample  of 
fatuous  Toryism  and   hackwork,  .Johnson's   "Ta.xation  no 
T\Tanny,"  and  Wesley's  wholesale  appropriation  laid  him 
open   to  the  charge  of  plagiarism.     His  friends  in  America 
suppressed  it,  a  kindness  indeed  in  view  of  the  fact  that  its 
sentiments  flatly  contradicted  some  of  his  earlier  utterances. 
In  a  letter  to  Lord   North  against  that  minister's  policy, 
he  wrote,  "All  my  prejudices  are  against  the  Americans; 
for  I  am  a   High  Churchman,  the  .son  of  a  High  Church- 
man, l)red  up,  from  my  childhood,  in  the  highest  notion  of 
passive  obedience  and  non-resistance;  and  yet,  in  spite  of 
all  my  long-rooted  prejudices,  I  cannot  avoid  thinking,  if 
I  think  at  all,  that  an  oppressed  people  asked  for  nothing 
more  than  their  legal  rights,  and  that  in  the  most  modest 
and  motfensive  inaiuier  that  the  nature  of  the  thing  would 
allow.     Hut,  waiving  all  consideraticms  of  riglit  and  wrong, 
I  ask,  is  it  conunon-sense  to  n  e  force  towards  the  Ameri- 
eans':-     These  men  wili  not  be  frightened:    and,  it  seers, 
they  will  not  be  coiKjuered  as  easily  as  was  at  first  imagined, 


I 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


:io3 


they  will  pr()l)al)ly  (lispiitt-  every  inch  of  ground  ;    and,  if 
they  (lie,  die  sword  in  haiul."  ' 

No  nobler  or  more  impressive  tinnrv  rose  above  the  politi- 
cal aiid  relipoiis  confusion  of  the  Uevohition  than  that  of 
the  fireat  Kn<;lishniaM  and  l)ish()|)  of  American  Methodism, 
Francis  Ashury.  Altii>uj;h  many  of  the  Kpiscopal  clergy 
and  five  of  his  own  collea^'ues  withdrew  from  their  pastoral 
charjies,  he  refused  ti>  follow  their  example,  sup|)ressed  his 
natural  symi)athies  with  his  native  land,  and  ne\cr  ceased 
to  preach  and  toil  amonj;  his  scattered  and  afflicted  inemhers. 
He  was  horn  on  August  20,  174."),  at  Ilamlsworth,  near 
Hirmiiijiham,  a  few  mile^  from  the  locality  where  Wesley 
underwent  his  fiercc-t  perxcution  and  won  one  of  his  most 
si^Mial  triumphs.  Blessed  in  his  parentajie,  and  always 
spiritually  disposed,  .\shury.  then  in  his  fourteenth  year, 
hearinj;  of  the  Wedneshury  riots,  went  to  the  scene  of  the 
disturbance  to  find  out  wiiat  kind  of  piety  it  was  that  had 
aroused  and  then  subdued  the  hostility  of  the  mob.  He 
returned  a  Methodist,  and  a  warm  advocate  of  Methodism. 
About  three  years  later  he  bepm  to  hold  public  meetin>;s, 
and  when  other  places  were  closed  aj;ain^t  him  had  recourse 
to  hi:,  father's  house,  where  he  exhorted  and  jjrayed  with 
the  neighbors.  When  he  was  twenty-one,  Wesley  enrolled 
him  amonj;  his  itinerants,  and  in  1771  sent  him  to  Maryland. 
Asbury  felt  some  misixivinys  that  he  had  perhaps  undertaken 
a  venture  beyond  his  {)owers,  and  wrote  in  his  .Journal, 
"If  God  does  not  acknowledj;e  me  in  America,  I  will  soon 
return  to  Hn^dand."  With  this  resolution  he  sailed  from 
Bristol,  never  to  see  his  relatives  or  Wesley  a^ain.  Hut 
thouj;h  the  seas  separated  them,  the  ideals  and  doctrines 
of  Methodism  were  embodied  and  proclaimed  by  him  as  by 
no  other  preacher  exce])t  Wesley  himself,  whom  he  e(|ualed, 
if  indeed  he  did  not  exceed  him,  in  privations  and  labors. 
The  text  of  his  first  sermon  at  Baltimore  was  a  suitable  motto 
for   fort\-tive   yt-ars  of    illustrious   scr\ice:    "1   detiTmined 

1  L.  TyiTiUMii:    'Life  ;iii<l  Times  nl  John  Wivlcy ' '  ;    Vol,  III.  p.   l»,s. 
2  A 


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J 


M 


3r)4      THREE    RELIGIOUS    LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 

not  to  know  anythinj;  anionj,'  ycui.  save  J,sus  Christ  and 
Him  muified."  Sorely  kfIcx  od  and  iianipiTod  l)y  the  (iiiarrcl 
bftwefn  the  two  nations,  tlio  om-  the  country  of  jiis  birth, 
the  other  of  ids  adoption,  lie  was  nevertheless  sustaine.i  In' 
the  ambition  that  the  newly  aecjuired  freedom  of  the  I'niteil 
States  shonM  l)eenlif;htened  and  pnriHed  l)y  thesavinfiknowl- 
ed;;e  of  (Jod.  His  was  that  higher  patriotism  which  soared 
beyond  strife  and  blundering:,  and,  when  every  attachment 
to  the  past  became  an  avenue  of  pain,  and  his  choice  for 
the  future  caused  many  to  mali;;n  him.  he  transcended  the 
darkness  and  dismay  and  l)ecame  an  historic  pleader  for  the 
peace  and  federation  of  the  Kinjriloni  of  Christ. 

Asbury  showed  an  adaptability  for  the  l{epublic  and 
Its  institutions  beyond  that  of  any  other  cler^rvman  of 
Enj,dish  birth.  lie  came  from  the  artisans  and  lai)()rers  of 
the  .Midland  shires  to  the  plain  folk  of  the  Kastern  States, 
unembarrassed  by  social  or  eccK-siastical  j)rejudices.  One 
fears  to  sjM'culate  on  what  iniKht  have  been  the  fate  of 
American  Methodism  had  such  a  cleric  as  Charles  Wesley 
controlled  it  at  the  critical  juncture.  Fortunatelv  for  his 
own  reputation  and  for  his  brother's  work,  this  was  not  the 
lase.  Althoujih  Asbury  ha.l  few  intellectual  jrifts  c<.mparable 
with  theirs,  he  ix.ssessed  a  loyalty,  a  .letermination.  an<l  a 
soundness  of  judj^ment  which  enai)led  him  to  hold  intact  the 
thin  lines  of  his  little  army  until  the  j)r()pitious  moment  came 
for  advance  and  conquest. 

Tall.  j;aunt.  and  ascetic  in  appearance,  clad  in  a  plain 
drab  suit,  a  stock,  and  a  low,  broad-brimmed  hat,  and 
married  only  to  the  Church,  twice  yearly  he  ro,le  alon^  the 
Atlantic  seaboard  from  Connecticut  to  the  Carolinas,  and 
westwanl  throu^di  the  mountains  to  the  farther  slopes  of  the 
Alle^dianies,  then  the  frontiers  of  civilization.  He  forded 
rivers  and  followed  trails  which  led  to  the  solitudes  of  the 
virgin  forest.  Indian  savages  or  white  fugiti\es  from  justice 
were  frequently  his  only  companions  in  the  wilderness.  If 
his  horse  cast  a  shoe,  he  bound  the  hoof  with  bull's  hide  and 


^    I 


.JOHN    WKSI.KY 


S-).- 


).) 


pushed  on.  In  a  time  wln-n  >tciiinl)()iits  ami  railroads  were 
nnknown  and  foatlu-s  rare,  lu-  niadr  iiis  tours  of  four  to  fiv«' 
thousand  niihs  annually,  nn'achinj;  at  least  once  a  day,  and 
three  times  on  tlie  I.(,rds  I  )ay.  'i'he  families  he  encountered 
in  these  lonely  journeyin>,'s  were  not  always  decent  or  hospi- 
table, hut  he  never  called  on  them  without  prayer,  or  left 
them  without  a  hlessini;.  (Quarterly  nieetini;s,  camp  ineet- 
inj;^,  aiul  seven  annual  Conferences,  all  widely  apart,  were 
the  rallying;  points  of  his  activity,  and  he  vi-Iicd  them  at 
least  once  a  year,  besides  writinj:  a  thousand  letters  annually 
to  his  preachers  and  helpers.  This  prodi^'ious  exertion  was 
accomplished  under  constant  bodily  sutl'erinj: ;  yet  aches  and 
pains,  chills  and  fever,  were  mere  trilles  to  his  superior  spirit, 
and  coulil  not  dismay  him.  A  diliju-nt  student,  he  became 
proficient  in  Latin,  (Jreek,  and  Hebrew,  was  a  master  of  the 
Holy  .Scriptures,  and  had  a  respectable  accpiaintance  with 
other  branches  of  literature.  In  his  old  a<;e,  when  weak  and 
crippled  by  infirmity,  he  reluctantly  consented  to  use  a 
liflht  carriage.  He  clun-r  to  his  otiice  with  tenacity,  con- 
tinually ordainiiij;  preachers,  plantinj;  churches,  sending 
fourth  pioneers,  and  like  the  bird  which  sees  not  the  case- 
ment for  the  sky,  he  was  slow  to  learn  that  neither  his  ardor 
nor  his  austerity  could  i)c  imparted  to  others  w  ithout  their 
consent.  Hut  these  were  only  s])ots  on  his  sun,  and,  bishoj) 
though  he  was,  as  all  men  knew,  liis  spirit  of  beautiful 
humility  was  shown  in  his  charge  that  after  his  <leath  no 
mention  should  be  made  of  him,  nor  any  biography  be 
written.  He  died  on  March  :!1,  IMC,  at  the  house  of  his 
old  friend  George  Arnold,  near  Fredericksburg,  Virginia, 
where  he  had  tarried  on  his  way  to  the  Conference  at 
Baltimore. 

Some  results  of  his  unremitting  dexotion  are  seen  in  the 
growth  of  the  movement  during  his  episcoi)ate.  M  his  ordi- 
nation, in  17N4,  there  were  eighty-three  itinerants  traveling 
forty-six  circuits,  and  lc>s  than  fifteen  tliou>and  members; 
at    his    death    there  were  over    scvi'u    hundred    preachers 


flv 


ni 


>i 


:!.')»»      TIIItKK    HKLKJIOUS    LKADKUS  OK   OXKOHD 


\ 


i    ri 


iniiiistiTiiiK  Id  more  than  two  Iniiiilrcd  and  «'l»'v«"ti  thousaml 
iiifinlHTs.  AfiiniiK  the  m.l)lc  liaixl  of  lirciiit  riili-rs.  who 
ciiiulattMl  tlu'ir  hisi.op's  fxarnplf  of  sacrificial  scrvi(r,  were 
Jesse  I.CC,  Kiioch  (Iforjif.  'I'hoinas  Ware,  Hoim'  FIuII, 
KzckicI  CooiMT,  Krccltorn  (Jarrcttsoii.  |{ciijaniiii  Abbott, 
Jolm  Kmory.  William  McKcndrfc,  IJoImtI  Kolwrts,  John 
Dickins  —  a  succession  of  projdiets  of  Ciod,  of  whom  the 
("iiurch  and  the  l{e|)ul>lie  they  lived  to  serve  may  well  \k 
proud. 

The  Societies  wert>  organized   under  Wesley's  plan,  and 
jruided  l>y  iiis  wishes;  the  class  me«'tinj;.  the  l<)ve  feast,  and 
the  ([uartcrly  and  animal   Conferences   heinj;  duplicates  of 
those  in  (Ireat  Britain.     At  first   \ew  Kusland  was  averse 
to  Methodisju.  hut  in  .\ew  ^ork.  I'ennsylvania,  Maryland, 
the  Southern  States,  and  on  the  ever  recedinjj  tVonticrs  it 
had  a  free  field,  and  soon  became  an  important  factor,  some 
of  its  preachers  helpiuf;  to  build  cities  and  commonwealths 
as  well  as  churches.     Tlu-y  came  at  an  opi)ortune  moment; 
the  pastoral  office  in  America  had  defaulted  in  resjx'ct  to 
the   Sacraments,  the   majority  of   the  AuK'lican    clergy  had 
been  dis|HTsed  by  the  conflict  with  Hritain,  and  those  who 
remained  were  at  a  low  ebb  of  learning  and  religion.     Bishop 
White  lamented  tiiat  "the  Church  of  Englan.l  was  becoming 
mort-  and  more  unpopular,  a  useless  burden  on  the  com- 
munity."    Dr.    Hawks  relates  that  a  large  numlnT  of  its 
edifices  in  \'irginia  were  ruined,  and  twenty-three  out  of 
ninety-five  parishes  forsaken.'     I'nder  these  circumstances 
the  Methodists  began  to  inquire  why  their  own  ministers 
should    not   have  authority  to  administer  the   Holy  Com- 
munion.    For    the    tim.-,    Thomas    Hankin    induced    the 
preachers  to  await  Mr.  Wesley's  advice,  but  the  agitation 
increased,  until  in   ITTJt  it  widene<l  into  an  actual  breach 
between  the  Northern  preachers,  who  pleaded  for  patient 
delay,  and  those  south  of  I'hiladelphia,  who  asked  for  full 

..„'.'/"■  i' ;,''■■"■"'';','';"  '.1,""'  ■'^""-ru-iu   i;|,is,opal   ChTKy  ill  Virwt.ia.  .*i- 
Kicharrl  (  arvcl,     l.y  Wuistoii  Clmrcliill. 


JOHN    WKSI.KY 


357 


ministerial  rights.  The  latter  were  tfinjM)rarily  coiuiliated 
by  Ashury's  promise  tlii.t  lie  would  appeal  to  the  Founder 
for  an  adjustment  of  the  matter.  The  interests  of  souls 
weri'  at  stake,  and  the  demands  actuated  hy  this  considera- 
tion brooked  no  further  jjarleyinn. 

Wesley  had  already  met  the  clergyman  \vhr)m  he  was 
about  to  desifjnate  as  Ashury's  senior  colleague,  and  whose 
name  is  connected  with  acts  which  led  to  the  con-titution 
of  the  Methodist  Kpiscopal  Church  of  America.  Thomas 
Coke,  a  jjentleman  commoner  of  Jesus  Colleifc,  Oxford, 
iH'came  Wesley's  first  lieutenant,  visiting  the  Societies  in 
Ireland  alternately  with  him  and  exercisinj,'  some  of  his 
delegated  authority.  Coke  was  the  founder  of  the  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  and  one  of  its  most  generous  supjxtrters, 
and  he  wniught  earnestly  in  behalf  of  Home  Missions  in 
Kngland  and  Wales.  .Vsbury,  on  hearinj;  of  his  death,  spoke 
of  him  as  "a  minister  of  Christ,  in  zeal,  in  labors,  and 
in  services  the  greatest  man  of  tiie  last  century."  Xot- 
withstanding  his  niaii\-  excellencies.  Coke's  restless  energies 
were  not  always  judiciously  directed.  On  more  than  one 
occasion  his  ambitions  excited  resentment,  nor  does  Dr. 
Stevens's  defense  of  him  (juitc  remove  the  impression  that  he 
had  entertained  desi-jiis  upon  the  superintendency  to  which 
he  was  ordained.  Vet  as  an  Oxford  f^raduate,  a  priest  of 
the  Church  of  Knglarid,  a  doctor  of  laws,  and  a  more  gifted 
preacher  than  Anbury,  Coke  would  laturall.v-  be  preferred 
for  that  office.  Wesley  did  not  proceed  in  tlie  matter 
without  deliberation,  and  only  after  he  had  failed  in  his 
efforts  to  persuade  Dr.  Lowth,  then  Bishop  of  London,  to 
ordain  a  preacher  that  the  i)astoral  necessities  of  .\meri- 
can  Methodists  might  l)e  regularly  mci.  Hitherto  he  liad 
been  correct  in  his  contention  that  nothing  he  had  set  in 
motion  was  inconsistent  with  iii>  position  as  an  Anglican 
clergyman.  Hut  he  was  now  confronted  by  a  condition, 
not  a  theory;  and  one  accentuated  by  political  misunder- 
standings   eventuating  in    war   and    separation.       Xor  did 


ii: 


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n  ,    : 


I: 


358     TIIHEE    UKLIGIOLS   LEADEUS   OK   OXFORD 

hv   \m\v   any   mciins  at    liaiiil    to    Mip|)lv    tlu-   im|HTativf 
rrqiiiri-iiicnts  „(  his  American  iiifiiilHTs.     I'lttrlu'r  of  Ma.lc- 
\v\  was  so  sfiisil)|(.  of  th.ir  nrKltrtnl  >tatc  that  lif  would  have 
Hum-  t(.  it>  nlirf  hail  hi>  health  pcmiitt.'d,  and  h.«  lirsoiiKht 
\\v>\vy,  hy  whom  he  was  cst.rm.-d  al)ovf  otiur   a<lvist'rs, 
to  acirdi-  to  the  r((|iuM  of  tlic  American  M<-th.Mlists  and 
Krant  them  an  ordained  ministry.     It  was  sn|M-rfliions  to  ask 
t(.r  Charles  Wesley's  opinion  ;  sin.r  he  would  have  sji-rificed 
the   Methodism    of   the    l{..puhlic  to  Anglican   conceptions 
«.f  unity  and   order.     Coke   only  consented    to  «.)  on  the 
stipulation  tliat    Wesley  should   pve  him   "hy  the   imi)osi- 
tion  of  hands  the  |)ower  of  ordaining  others."     Accordingly, 
without    haste,  and    in    the    full    knowled^'e    that    he    wiis 
ahout    to    incur    the    lasting    disappr.)val    of    his    Church, 
Wesley  summoned  Coke,  with  two  itinerants,  IJichard  What- 
coat  and  Thomas  Vasey,  to  Bristol,  and  there  on  the  2()th 
.)f   Septemher.   I7N4.  in  his  prixate  chamber,  he  set   apart 
the  Itinerant  preachers  as  presbyters,  and  lai<l  his  han.ls  on 
Coke,  consecrating  him  "to  the  olHce  of  Suiwriutendent  of 
the  work  in  America." 

He  instnict.d  Coke  to  take  with  him  the  two  newly  madt 
presbyters,  and  in  like  manner  set  apart  Aslniry.  first  as  a 
•  k'iicon.  then  as  a  presbyter,  and  then  as  his  "associate  in 
the  superintend.-ncy.  Forms  of  ordination  for  deacons, 
elders,  and  superintendents  were  prei)an-(l  by  Wolev.  which 
m.licatcd  that  acts  and  terms  he  had  puri);)sely  avoided  at 
home  were  now  to  be  authorizi-d  in  An  rica.  Thus  he 
assumed  episcopal  functions,  and.  if  the  ordination  of  Coke 
meant  anything  at  all,  it  sipiified  that  he  had  retrived  the 
Slime  functions  from  Wesley,  subject  to  the  ratification  of 
the  American  preachers.  It  was  so  understoiHl  and  api)roved 
by  them;  at  the  Christmas  (\.iiferen(r  of  Baltimore,  on 
l)eceml)er  L'7th  of  the  same  year,  the  selection  of  Coke  was 
confirmed,  and  Asbury  was  ekrted  by  the  Conferenc-e  and 
consecrated  by  Coke.  assiste<i  l)y  several  presbyters.  Several 
presbyters  and  deacons  were  also  elected  and  ordained  on 


JOHN    WESLEY 


350 


the  following  day.  In  tliis  maiiner  iH-fjun  the  Methodist 
Kpiscopal  ("hiinli  in  the  I  nifiil  States  of  Ameriea.  It  was 
the  first  rhiireh  thus  estahhslied  in  the  yonnj;  iJepuhhe,  shar- 
ing its  hnjH-s  and  fearN,  ami  oeeupyinj;  a  eimtinental  expanse 
wiiieli  gave  it  ani|)Ie  riHan  for  it>  siri>;uhir  admixture  «if  auto- 
cratic and  (K'nioeratic  traits  in  a  system  approved  hy  Wesley, 
Kieteher, Coke,  Ashury, and  itsown  preachers.  In  May,  I7S!>, 
its  chief  pastors  i)resented  .111  address  to  I'r.-sident  Washing- 
ton hejiinninjt  with  the  su|MTscription  "We,  the  hishops  of 
the  Methodist  Kpiscopal  Church"  ;  anil  since  tlu-n  its  life  and 
work  have  l)een  incorporated  with  thosi-  of  the  nation  in 
which  it  is  to-day  the  iarpst  Protestant  <leiiomination. 

After  the  irrevocahle  step  was  taken  the  iiitherto  unques- 
tioned rule  of  Wesley  was  no  lon>;er  al)>olute.    The  arhitrary 
ehanp'  of  the  title  of  supi-rintendent   to    that    of   hishop 
irritated  him  because  of  the  adventitious  diffiiities  it  sug- 
gested, hut  he  was  powerless  to  prevent  it.     \or  could  the 
liberties  he  lia<l  granted  to  the  ministry  abroad  be  finally 
withheld  at  home,  and  aft»T  a  prolonged  interval  they  U'came 
the  unquestioned  right  of  all  the  |)reachers  there.     At  the 
American  Methodist  Conference  in   \~S\)  the  first  (piestiou 
asked  was,  "Who  are  tlii'  persons  tliat  exercise  the  episcopal 
office  in  the  Methodist  Church  in  Kurope  and  America?" 
The  answer  w^i-,  "John  Wesley,  Thomas  Coke,  and  Francis 
Asbury  by  regular  order  and  succession."     .Mthough  their 
office  was  strictly  defined   as  such   and    not    a-   an   onk-r, 
these   phrases  must   have  sounded    grandiliKpaiitlv    irnjHT 
tinent  in  the  <'ars  of  ecclesiastics  who  had  liitlu t'     nn  /i"? 
olizeil    them,      .\part    from   this  they   had    >ev«r,il    ad 
tages;    and   not  the  least,  that  the  colorless  cliara<tcr  ai    i 
deferential  attitude  of  a  hybrid  organization  were  ab<ili-.iiH 
The    language    of    the    .New  Testament    wa>    also    uxd 
describe  other  institutions  and  offices  of  the  Church,  w' 
episcopacy  has  since  been  held,  not  in  any  sense  as  tlu 
bodiment  of  an  apostolic  succession,  but  as  a  persoii:di/.' 
and  historic  center  of  unity,  atlniinistration,  and  etficicii(.\ 


Ir 


If 

] 


3(A) 


TIIUKK    KKLKJIOLS    LKADKUS  OF   OXFOItl) 


I  ■  I 


•Mi 


Churlrs  WVsl.y  r.|)riiaclH-<l  hi>  l>r<.tluT  for  tlif  ImiI.I  hikI  uii- 
«'X|M'(if<|  pr.K<-<lur.ulii.|,lriistratc.l  his  Iio|k-h.  «n.l  apiH-urrd 
to  liiiii  lis  "til.    UpiiniiiK  "f  a  scliism  as  caus^-lcss  and  uii- 
prc.v<.kf.l   as   the   Aiiuri.aii    l{i-volutinii."     His  .•..riiplaints 
aii.l  KroimiiiKs   w.-n-   vcntcl   in  a   letter  to    tlu    U,>v     Dr 
(•l.an.lh.r,  .lat»-.l  April  Js.   I7,s:,:   "I   ,„.vi.r  Inst  my  .In-a.l 
<»f  s<'paration,  i.r  <raM<l  to  p;ar«l  ..iir  So<icti«'s  aKaiiist  it.     I 
can  scarc-ly  y,-t  U-licvf  it.  that,  in  his  .•iulity-s.-coiul  yi'ar, 
my  l.rothcr.  tny  ol.l.  intiinatr  fri.n.l  an.l  conipanioii,  shoiiKj' 
have    assunuHl    the    episc.pal    character,    onlaineil    elders, 
eorisecrate<l  a  l.ishop.  and  sent  him  to  ordain  oiir.hiv  preachers 
m  America.     I  was  then  in  Uristol,  at  his  elbow  ;  yet  he  never 
gave  me  the  least  hint  of  his  intention."     Charles  further 
affirmed  that  U.nl  Mansfield,  the  Chief  .Iijsticv  ..f  Knj{land, 
ha<|  told    him  a  year    hefore  that  ordination  was    separa- 
tion ;   and  such  it  was  fr..m  the  standpoint  of  the  ehureh- 
nianship  whi,  h  he  represent,  d.     T..  what,  then.  Ih-voikI  the 
necessitous  circumstaiurs  a'rca.ly  relate.!  is  to  Im-  attributed 
Lesley's  onviction  that  he  ha.l  a  right  to  .liscar.l  the  prin- 
nples  his  brother  s..strenii..iislyupliel.l  ?     Me  ha.l  rea.l  in  I74(} 
I/mi  Kind's  acc.unt  of  the  IVimitive  Church,  fn.in  which 
he  .lerive.1  the  teaching  that  bishoi)s  an.l  i)resbNters  were 
originally  ..ne  .)r.|.T.     In  his  "  Notes  .>n  the  .\ew  Testament " 
he  cautiously  ommentcl  that  "|HTliaps  el.lers  an.l  bishops 
were  the  same  .  .  .  and  th.-ir  names  were  use.|   promiscu- 
ously in  the  first  ages."     In  17.-)<i  he  stated  that  he  still  believed 
the  episcoi)al  f.>rm  of  Chnr.-h  g.)vernme!it  to  be  Scriptural 
an.l  apost.)lical.  but  that  it  was  preseribe.|  in  .Scripture  he 
did    not   l)elieve.      This  ..pini,„i,   whidi   he  ..iice   zeal.nislv 
espouse.!,  he  ha.l  l)een   heartily  ashame.l   .)f  since  studying 
Hish.)p  Stillingficet's  "  Ircni.-on."     (^,„„n  ()vert.)n  lainents 
that  s.>  well-rea.l  and  thoughtful  a  man  as  Weslev  sh.)uld 
have   attached   any   weight    to   the  y.)uthful   utterancrs  .if 
these  two  men.  King  and  StiMingfleet.  who  afterwards  re- 
canted.'    Nevertheless  they  leaxcned  Wesley's  churchraan- 

'"The   EviHiKolicul    Revival";    p.   Is. 


JOHN    \VKs|>;v 


:i()l 


.ship,  and  111-  iikm  wrntc  in  diiirlfs  'liiit  lie  Knnlv  iM-liisrd 
liiriisflf  to  Im'  ")i  Scriiitnral  »'|ii>f((|M)-.  a>  iinicli  as  any  man  in 
Knjflunil."  TIm'  niiiiit(Trii|it«'tl  Mi('(«>-ii)ii.  lie  ilcclariMi  v\m-- 
wluTf,  was  "a  rn|M'  of  sanil  ;  a  falilr  tliat  no  man  could 
pruvf." 

Tlu'  i-ndlfss  dflmt«-s  on  tliis  allirmatinn  liavo  no  pla«r 
luTt' ;  tlu'V  liavf  In-rn  l»f>t  sunuiifd  up  in  Bishop  I,i);litfi«)t's 
vt-rdict  that  the  «pi>copal  ollici-  did  not  arJM-  out  of  tht' 
u|>o>toli(al  hy  >u(«ts>ion,  hut  out  of  thr  prcsl)yt«Tal  hy 
locah/.atioii.'  Tliis  cont  lusion  has  foiuid  powerful  advix-ati's 
in  m<HhTn  scholarship,-  and  if  it  i-.  valid,  Wesley's  aets  were 
in  keeping;  with  the  ancient  order.  On  the  other  hand,  for 
forty  years  he  had  carefully  ahstained  from  them,  and  hud 
even  said  that  for  an  unordained  |)reacher  to  administer 
within  his  Societies  was  a  sin  which  he  dan-d  not  tohTute, 
ultliou);h  hy  se.idin>;  out  scores  of  |)reacliers  without  ordina- 
tion, he  had  really  made  iipo>tolic  suicession  an  aiuichronism 
so  far  as  he  was  c<tn(vrned.  Of  course  his  settin);  apart  of 
Coke  was  indefensihie  from  the  standpoint  of  AuKlitanism. 
"What  could  Wesley  confer  upon  (dke  which  Coke  mi^ht 
not  equally  have  c((iiferred  upon  Wesley?"  (pieries  Canon 
Overton.  And  the  answer  is,  if  jjiven  according  to  the 
Canoti's  coiHrption  of  ordination,  iiothin>;.  Hut  a  larKf 
ho<ly  of  Christians  have  denied  the  doj,'ma  of  apo.stolical 
suctrssion ;  they  have  resented  its  imi)Utations,  an<l  have 
liln'rated  themselves  from  its  oppressions.  Woley,  at  least, 
gave  Coke  the  j)remiership  in  a  >;reat  Church,  with  the 
practical  results  that  followed,  and  Canon  Overton  adds, 
with  justiir,  that   the   true  explanation   of  his  conduct   in 


'  ."^00  tho  rcfcri'iii'oslotliisinicstiim  in  the  ■'ulwccnii'iit  rtciptiTMoii  N'cwnian. 

'For  .'111  iiilcrcstiiiK  diMiH-inn  mm  ttii<  "iiK^lidii  soi-  "Snnii"  l?i'iri;irks  mi 
Hishiiii  I.iiihtfdots  DissiTlMtioii  on  tlic  C'lirisli.iii  .Miiii.-^tr.v ,"  liy  ClnrkH 
VVorilswiirth.  I). I)..  Hi-lmii  of  ,-<l.  Amlrvws:  iilsn  '  '{']»'  Livivi's  of  thi'  TriM- : 
i^liulics  in  HioKniphv."  Ii.\  Ailliiit  (  Ini-luiilicr  Mchsnn.  W  IkiIi'Vit  loiitr:!- 
(lii'ticiM  (if  iiiiHtiiiilfi'sl.'itL(lii>u^<  lii>liij|i  I,it:litf(iiit  afliTvvards  ui.i'W  lie  diil  nut 
rc'triict  the  main  stati-ini'ntH  df  lii^  Kssay  dii  tlm  Cliri^tian  Mini<tr.v. 
fouiiil  in  the  ApiH'nilix  td  lii^  "  ('dninnritary  on  the  l^pi^tli'  to  tin-  I'liiliji- 
pians." 


,  \ 


' .   \ 


•t; 


362     THREE    UELKJIOUS   LEADEKS  OF   OXFORD 

this  as  in  other  things,  was  the  fmictieal  character  of  his 
mind,  which  led  him  to  make  everything  subservient  to 
his  work  „f  restormg  the  image  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man 

An  uni,rcju(hced  review  of  the  matter,  which  in  thought 
purpose,  and  accomplisiiment  covered  nearlv  half  a  centurv' 
shows  that  any  inconsistencies  -  an.l  there  were  some  - 
did  not  affect  the  integrity  of  Wesley's  main  position.     He 
treate.  ordinances  an.l  offic-es  as  means  of  grace  which  should 
)e  held  paranx.unt  so  long  as  they  promote.!  Christianitv. 
n  hen   they   ceased    to  do  this  they    w.tc   set    aside,   aiul 
lie  took  occasion,   un.ler  necessity,   to  make    the   freedom 
and  access,!. Uity  of  God's  Kingdom   wi.lcr  tlian  antiquity 
had  decreed      \Mu,t  lie  sai.l  will  he  long  rcmcmhere.l,  what 
he  di.l  will  he  conserved  in  the  general  outcome.     The  vast 
majority  of  h,s  sons  and  daughters  in  tlie  familv  of  Metlio- 
dism  partak,   of  the  Living  Urea.!  in  their  ..wn 'sanctuaries, 
unlniulere.1  hv  any  c..nsci.,usiiess  of  tlie  warfare  he  waged 
with   himself  and   ..thers  for  their  l,irthright ;    an.!  tliose 
wlio  ha-e  r.-fl,.cted  up..n  it  partake  witli  n.,  less  fait!,  because 
of  tlie  c.)ur>(    lie  a.l.)pte.l.' 

oJ^l-wV'''"'  'f  ^r'*"""*'""  ^^'»^1'  w-as  cxecute.1  on  February 
-S,  1/84   an.l  a  few  .lays  later  enrolle.!  in  Chancery,  has 
been  calle.l  the  Magna  C!,arta  of  Weslcyan  MctluKlism      It 
substitute.!  f..r  Wesley  a  permanent  b.xlv  of  one  huiulre.! 
mn.istcrs,  selecte.!  !,y  him  and  autliorize.1  to  bear  tlie  re- 
sp<.ns,b,l,t,cs  an,!  .lischarge  the  .hities  of  the  supervision  of 
the  N)c,cties.     Tins  instrument  was  a.!.)pte.l  none  t.)o  s.)on  ■ 
he  was  now  an  ol.l  man,  an.!  thougl,  still  vigon.us,  coul.! 
no  I.)nger  be  expe.tc!  t.>  take  .,^crsigbt  of  tl,e  Cliurch  in 
tngan.l,  In-land.  an.l  Ameri.a,  which   in   17!)(»   n,„„ber.>.l 
nearly    one    hun.lr.-.l    an.l    fifty    th.,usan.!    members.     He 
"nwilhngly   restrict...!    his    hithcrt.,    inc.-ssant    j.n.rnevings. 
and  appr.K,chc,l  a  peacrfnl  twilight  whid,  the  night  of  "deatli 


JOHN    WESLEY 


363 


lingered  to  disturb,  moving  among  the  people  of  the  three 
kingdoms  as  the  most  apostoiie  figure  of  I  lis  generation. 
In  Ireland  as  niiieh  as  in  (Jrcat  Hritain  his  last  appear- 
ances were  scenes  of  aifectioiiate  farewell  and  open  sorrow 
at  his  dei)aiture.  Tiie  accusations  that  he  was  a  Jesuit,  a 
Jacohite,  a  fanatic,  a  former  rumseilcr,  and  a  wily  hypo- 
crite, had  gone  never  to  return.  Many  Anglican  clergymen 
and  their  congregations  gave  him  a  resi)ectful  hearing,  and 
he  received  more  invitations  to  pri'ach  before  them  than  he 
could  accept.  "I  am  become,"  he  said  in  17S.'),  "I  know 
not  how,  a  most  honorable  man.  The  scandal  of  the  Cross 
is  ceased,  and  all,  rich  and  poor,  Papists  and  Protestants, 
behave  with  courtesy,  nay,  with  seeming  good  will."  "It 
was,  I  believe,"  wrote  (Vabb  I{oi)inson,  "in  October,  1790, 
and  not  long  before  his  death,  that  I  heard  .John  Wesley  in 
the  great  round  ^Meeting  House  at  Colcliester.  He  stood 
in  a  wide  pulpit,  and  on  eacli  side  of  him  stood  a  minister, 
and  the  two  held  him  n]),  having  their  hands  under  his  arm- 
pits. His  feeble  voice  was  scarcely  audible,  but  his  reverend 
countenance,  especially  his  long  white  locks,  formed  a  pic- 
ture never  t()  be  forgotten.  There  was  a  vast  crowd  of 
lovers  and  admirers ;  ...  of  the  kind  I  never  saw  anything 
comparable  to  it  in  after  life."'  In  a  farewell  letter'dated 
February  1,  1701,  addressed  to  Ezekiel  Cooper,  an  Ameri- 
can preacher  known  as  the  Lycurgus  of  his  Church,  Wesley 
told  of  his  infirmities  and  how  that  time  had  shaken  his  hand 
and  death  was  not  far  behind.  Although  eighty-six  years 
of  age,  he  enjoyed  comparative  freedom  from  pain :  his 
sight  and  strength  had  failed,  but  he  could  still  "scrawl  a 
few  lines  and  creep  though  not  run."  lie  concluded  with 
the  consoling  prediction  that  his  v.ork  would  remain  and 
bear  fruit,  and  that  Mi-tliodists  were  one  throughout  the 
world  and  would  ever  continue  one, 

"'  Thoupli  mountains  rise  and  oreans  roll. 

To  sever  ii<i  in  vain.'  " 
'  Henry  ("ralib  Uoljiiisdii's  Diary;   Vol.  I.  p.  19. 


I  illi 


:| 


n 


3(J4      THUKK    IlKLICJIOUS   LEADERS   OK   OXFORD 

\Vhit('fii-l(l  <lie<l  at  Xewljuryport,  Massachusetts,  in  1770, 
about  the  tiino  Ashury  tiitcn-d  the  field  from  whieh  the 
famous  orator  was  suddenly-  removed.  Charles  Wesley, 
though  jiearly  five  \  ears  yoaiiger  than  Johr.,  died  on  March 
2!)th.  17SS,  His  unequalled  hrotiier,  on  whom  rested  the 
plow  of  his  ai)i)roaeliinK  translation,  was  preaching  in  Staf- 
fordshire at  the  time.  At  the  very  moment  when  Charles 
passed  away,  the  congregation,  unconscious  of  this,  was 
singing  his  hymn, 

"("oiiu',  let  us  join  our  friends  al)ove 
That  have  obtained  tlie  prize." 

Wesley  did  not  hear  of  his  death  until  the  day  after  the 
funeral.  He  deeply  felt  the  separation,  and  ii  fortnight 
later,  when  attemjjtmg  to  give  out  another  of  Charles's 
hymns  on  "Wrestling  Jacoh,"  he  faltered  at  the.  line*, 

"My  fonipany  before  is  gone, 
And  I  am  left  alone  with  Thee;" 

sat  down  in  the  pulpit,  and  huried  his  face  in  his  hands. 
The  singing  ceased,  and  the  people  wept  with  him.  In  u 
little  while  he  regained  self-control,  and  proceede<l  with  the 
service.  He  hastened  to  London  from  the  Xorth,  that  he 
might  console  the  widow  and  childre?i  of  the  <le])arted  poet. 
His  sermon  at  Leatherhead,  Surrey,  on  Wednesday  the  2:{d 
of  February,  was  iiis  last  i)ublic  utterance;  the  text  being, 
"Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  lie  may  be  found  ;  call  upon  Him' 
while  He  is  near."  With  this  m.-ssage  of  mercy  and  exhorta- 
tion his  peerless  ministry  ended  as  it  had  begun,  in  the 
urgency  of  compassion,  the  strcngtli  of  righteousness,  the 
light  of  love,  and  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit.  The 
next  day  he  spent  with  Mr.  WolU'  at  Balham,  and  there 
penned  his  well-known  letter  to  William  Wilberforc-e,  con- 
cluding with  th.'  stirring  a[)iM-al,  "()'.  be  not  wt-ary  in  well 
doing.  (;,)  on,  in  the  name  of  (Jod,  aii<l  in  the  power  of  His 
might,  till  even  American  sla\ery.  the  vilest  that  ever  saw 


i;  I 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


36-) 


the  sun,  sliiill  vanish  away  hoforc  it.  .  .  ."'  It  was  entirely 
appropriate  that  tlie  warfare  lie  had  wa^ed  for  sixty  years 
upon  the  cruelty  of  society  toward  tlie  falh-n  and  the  help- 
less should  eoiuluile  with  this  inipassione<l  protest  against 
human  bondage. 

Returning  to  his  house  in  City  Uoa<l  on  Friday,  the  25th, 
he  spent  the  remaining  iiours  in  prayer  and  prai.se.  During 
an  interval  he  asked  those  around  him  that  his  sermon  on 
"The  Love  of  G(m1  to  fallen  man"  should  he  scattered  broad- 
cast and  given  to  everybcMly.  Later,  he  blessed  them,  and 
lifting  his  hand  in  grateful  triumph,  exclaimed,  "The  best 
of  all  is,  God  is  with  us  I"  Shortly  afterv. ..rds,  on  March 
the  second,  1791,  this  splendid  being  put  on  immortality. 


Epiukme 

The  history  of  Methodism  beyond  its  leading  events  in 
the  eighteenth  century  has  been  necessarily  exchwled  from 
this  account.  Speaking  generally,  it  followed  three  main 
lines  of  development :  the  rise  and  pmirress  of  the  Kvangeli- 
cal  Revival ;  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Churches 
therefrom  ;  and  their  more  familar  expansions  of  the  modern 
period,  which  by  no  means  exhaust  tiie  results  of  the 
movement,  for  in  many  instances  its  palpable  and  its 
hidden  influences  have  blended  witli  the  life  of  the  nations 
it  affected,  purifying  and  strengthening  them  for  domestic, 
social,  and  political  reforms.  Nor  have  the  limits  imposed 
here  allowed  us  to  dwell  at  length  upon  the  nniltifarious 
details  of  Wesley's  personal  career,  which  abound  in 
the  biographies  of  Southey,  Watson,  Lelicvre,  Tyerman, 
Telford,  Fitchett,  and  Winchester,  the  books  of  Workman, 
and  also  in  Wesley's  self-revelatory  Journals.  He  had 
the  serenity  of  one  who  is  at  home  in  his  own  mind,  who 
draws  his  water  from  his  own  fountain,  and  by  means  of 
whose  inward  light  the  path  ahead  is  always  plain.     These 

'  L.  Tyerman:   "Life  ami  Times  of  .lohii  Wesley"  ;   Vol.  Ill,  p.  650. 


■m 


m 


i  ; 


I  i  ■ . ' 


■ .  ( 


n 


(  ■ 
f  f 


ill 


.:  > 
lif 


m 


36G      THREE    KELKJIOUS   LKADEUS  OF   OXFORD 

outstandiiiR  qualitii-s,  jind  otluTs  which  havf  been  men- 
tioned, reveal  witli  unusual  directness  their  heavenly  sources. 
Like  the  hirge-minded  man  in  Aristotle's  "Ethics  "he  thought 
himself  ecjual  to  grand  moral  achievements,  and  was  justified 
to  the  extent  that  the  rare  virtue  of  absolute  disinterested- 
ness gradually  became  a  ruling  factor  in  his  conduct.  lit 
la\ished  ail  his  energies  and  some  of  his  best  years  upon  the 
search  for  divine  illumination.  This  obtaiiu-d,  he  at  once 
became  the  director  of  a  religious  crusade  whi<h  has  helped 
to  ui)raise  the  race.  The  means  he  employed  were  exposed 
to  reprobation,  but  they  i)roved  stronger  than  the  formidable 
display  of  earthly  and  cccK-siastical  powers  arrayed  against 
them.  Nor  is  it  i)ossible  to  escape  the  conclusion  that  in 
all  these  things  his  course  and  destiny  were  not  self-chosen, 
after  the  usual  meaning  of  the  phrase,  but  in  a  sjjecial  and 
peculiar  sense  shaped  by  the  guidance  of  his  :\Iaker.  For 
God  has  always  been  pleased  to  build  his  best  bridges  with 
human  piers,  never  allowing  their  faults  to  impede  the  work- 
manship when  men  were  solicitous  that  they  should  not 
do  so. 

The  leisure  of  mind  which  followed  the  stirring  epoch  in 
which  Wesley  acted  so  creatively  has  produced  a  numbor 
of  tributes  vindicating  him  in  c\  cry  quarter  of  his  historical 
firmament.  Mr.  Augustine  Hirrell  says  that  "no  man  lived 
nearer  the  center  than  .John  Wesley,  neither  ('live  nor  Pitt, 
neither  Mansfield  nor  Johnson.  You  cannot  cut  him  out  of 
our  national  life.  Xo  single  figure  influenced  so  many 
minds,  no  single  voice  touched  so  many  hearts.  Xo  other 
man  did  such  a  life's  work  for  England."  »  Macaulay's 
better  known  eulogy  is  e([ually  generous.  The  famous 
essayist  compared  liim  with  Hichclieu,  whose  genius  so- 
lidified the  French  nation  and  stimulated  the  authority 
of  its  monarchy.  In  like  manner  Wesley's  weak  chain  of 
organizations  was  lengthened  link  by  liuk,  and  as  they 
developed  he  formulated  rules  for  their  guidance,  until 
'  "John  Wesley,"  i.i  "Essays  and  -Vdilresses"  ;   p.  35. 


.lOIIX    VVKSI.KY 


367 


MethofUsni  ht'caim'  notliiiij;  l«-ss  tlian  an  army  intent  on  the 
moral  eonfjue^t  of  tlie  race. 

An  eifiliteenth  century  man,  he  sliareil  in  no  small  (le^ree 
the  stranj;e  contradietions  of  his  a>;e.  Ilis  character  was 
both  simple  and  conii)Iex  because  it  was  in  some  measure 
the  reflection  of  the  people  in  which  he  moved,  whose  national 
texture  has  been  thickly  p.icked  and  i)laited  fold  upon  fold 
by  an  endless  variety  of  custom  and  habit.  In  a  eorrespond- 
inp  way  he  dealt  with  many-sided  truths  and  situations, 
undeterred  by  dread  of  paradox  or  the  inconsistency  of  poli- 
cies which  might  appear  to  lead  in  opposite  directions.  His 
experiences  were  both  extensi\c  and  remarkable,  and  per- 
haps this  may  explain  the  supernatural  aspect  whicii  he 
gave  to  them.  Vet  in  matters  where  he  was  not  directly 
interested  he  was  capable  of  a  becomiiifi  skepticism,  and  his 
belief  in  witchcraft  and  in  the  doctrine  of  particular  Provi- 
dence, which  he  sonu-times  carried  to  };reat  lenjiths,  showed 
no  more  credulity  than  did  the  notions  of  Addison,  the  pride 
of  Oxford,  whose  "  Kssays  on  the  Kvidences  of  Christianity  " 
include  stories  as  absunl  as  the  Cock  Lane  f;host,  and  for- 
geries as  rank  as  William  Henry  Ireland's  "  Vortigern." 
Exact  and  vigorous  in  his  thinking,  Wesley's  ideas  were  as  far 
removed  from  what  is  meretricious  or  vulgar  as  were  those 
of  the  best  classics  with  which  he  was  familiar.  In  his 
case  great  talents  anil  considerable  learning  jmned  their 
suitability  for  a  world-wide  and  permanent  religious  propa- 
gandism,  and  his  career  as  an  e\  aiigelist,  who  was  also  a 
num  of  culture,  is  an  effective  answ  er  to  those  who  deprecate 
the  value  of  intellectual  attainments  in  such  efforts.  There 
have  been  many  imitators  of  Wesley,  but,  as  yet,  he  has 
had  no  successor. 

His  steadfast  mind  discouraged  the  fitful  gleams  of  self- 
deception  from  which  was  not  entirely  free.  Hasty 
or  false  assumptions  w  distasteful  to  his  more  rol)ust 
processes  of  thought,  and  .my  tendency  to  purely  emotional 
excitement  in  himself  or  in  others  was  generally  subdue<l 


3(>H     TIIUKK    ItKLKilOUS    LKADKKS  OF   OXFOUD 


I     ! 


hv  liis  ii.riJitf  coiiscrviitisni.  ("K-rics  aiul  philosophers  whose 
prejudices  lie  eiicounten-*!  thihhed  him  ii  faiiatie;  the  he- 
lievers  whose  faith  he  aided  extolieil  liiin  as  a  saint  and  a 
sajje.  lie  went  (piietlv  forward,  livinj;  down  raneor  itnd 
disregardinn  praise,  examining  and  restatinjr  his  doctrinal 
views  and  (piaiif\  inj;  them  hy  tlieir  hold  on  life.  A  per- 
vadinjc  reasonableness  }ja\e  weifiht  to  his  utterance,  and  its 
sincerity  and  restraint  enabled  him  to  overcome  his  critics. 
In  the  excitement  attending  a  great  revival  he  did  not  for- 
feit his  sanity,  his  poise,  his  love  of  hooks,  or  his  good  breed- 
ing. His  prescience  as  a  .^tatesman  preserved  that  which 
he  had  won  by  aggressive  attacks  upon  degeneracy  and 
vice.  And  throughout  life  he  readily  yielded  to  truths 
hitherto  neglecttHJ,  or  to  aught  else  when  refusal  to  yield 
would  have  been  less  than  right  or  rational. 

Although  his  conversion  was  beyond  doubt,  he  repeatedly 
returneil  to  it,  allowing  neither  foregone  conclusions  nor 
deference  to  pious  opinion  to  check  his  constant  scrutiny 
of  the  basis  of  his  assurance.  In  man\-  of  his  confessions 
one  knows  not  whether  the  feeling  is  deep«T  than  the  reflec- 
tion, or  the  reflection  deeper  thun  the  feeling.  If  some  of 
his  in.stinctive  recognitions  of  (Jod  were  in  tlieir  nature  mys- 
tical rather  than  intellectual,  it  would  be  difficult  to  overesti- 
mate the  corrective  value  of  such  a  religion  of  the  heart 
when  contrasted  with  that  latitudinarianism  which  denit-d 
the  possibility  of  Wesley's  transfer  into  the  boundless  realm 
of  the  living,  moving,  i)rogressive  Spirit  who  led  him  into 
light,  wisdom,  and  truth ;  into  the  very  presence  and  per- 
suasion of  the  Soul  of  souls.  A  sense  of  spiritual  union 
springing  from  his  voluntary  surrender  to  Christ  was 
strengthened  by  grave  and  habitual  me<litation,  until  he 
reached  the  plane  where  contradictions  cease.  Pondering 
the  highest  he  knew  till  it  became  more  than  his  ideal,  he 
appropriated  it  as  a  part  of  himself,  tlms  blending  his  life 
with  the  life  everlasting  that  he  might  do  God's  work  in  tin- 
world. 


JOHN    WKSLEY 


369 


AlthoiiKh  he  was  comiu'lh-d  to  act  without  luT  approval, 
and,  imifcd,  in  tiie  face  of  her  nndt-Mrvt-d  ri-huke,  the 
Anglican  Churcii  was  always  dear  to  liini,  and  the  liturgi- 
cal forms  of  her  worship  harmonized  with  his  sense  of 
order  and  of  the  beauty  of  iioliness.  That  hy  her  opposi- 
tion she  lost  tlie  greatest  o|)portuiiity  she  has  yet  had  to 
strenptlien  her  ranks  and  heeome  a  truly  national  church 
is  heyond  (piestion ;  hut  this  loss  was  compensated  hy  the 
Hains  to  the  Kingdom  of  (Jod  which  resulted  from  Wesley's 
in<lependence  of  ecclesiasticism.  Dr.  Joseph  Beaumont,  in 
speakini;  of  his  attitude  toward  the  Kstahji^hinent,  likened 
it  to  that  of  a  stronj;  rower  wlio  looks  one  way  while  every 
stroke  of  the  oar  pro|)els  liim  in  the  opposite  direction. 
Fiirther  lij;ht  is  cast  upon  Wesley's  relations  to  Anglicanism 
hy  excerpts  >;iven  here  from  a  letter,  hitherto  unpiiJ)lished  as 
fully  as  here,  written  hy  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  to  Mr.  Ilumijhrey 
Sandwith,  and  dated  from  Bridlinjrton,  on  Octoher  I,  1S:}2  :  — 

"I  have  heen  a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Connexion  more 
than  hnlj  a  centurii:  and  have  heen  a  travelling;  Preacher 
47  years,  ami  I  ever  found  many  i)eople  in  most  places  of 
the  Connexion  very  uneasy  at  not  havii  <;  th':  .-lacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supi)er  administered  in  our  own  Chapels,  hy 
our  own  Preachers.  Mr.  J.  Wesley  ntibUii  recommended  the 
people  to  go  to  the  Church  and  .-lacrament.  .Mr.  C.  Wesley 
threatened  them  with  danmation,  if  they  did  not:  for  even 
in  very  early  times  the  contrary  disjjosition  appeared  in 
many  Societies.  In  \ls:\,  at  the  Bristol  Conference  where 
I  was  admitted  into  full  Connexion,  I  heard  Mr.  Charles 
Wesley  preach  in  Temple  Church,  on  Matt.  xi.  .").  'The 
hlind  receive  their  sijilit,  and  tiie  lame  walk,'  etc.,  in  which 
Discourse,  and  on  that  part,  the  Ininr  irall:,  he  spoke  the  fol- 
lowinj;  words,  wjiicli  1  shall  never  forj;et :  "My  hretliren, 
the  lame  man,  that  was  healed  hy  Peter  and  .h)hn  at  the 
beautiful  <;atc  of  the  Temple  went  into  the  Temple  with 
the  .Vpostles  to  worship  Cod  :  TJiey  who  are  healed  under 
the  ministry  of  my  Brother  and  myself,  jjo  with  us  into  the 
2ti 


370      TIIKKK    UKLKilors    LKADKHS   OK   OXFOKI) 

("liurcli :  \Wu\v  in  tlu'  rimnli  if  vou  leave  the  Cluireli, 
(I<m1  will  leiive  you.  or  yon  will  j;o  lialtiiij;  all  tlu-  days  of  yonr 
life,  shonid  you  even  jjet  to  liea\«'n  at  last:  hut  ahide  in 
the  ^ood  old  Ship,  and  some  on  Hoards,  and  some  on  broken 
|(ie<es  of  the  Ship,  and  you'll  all  ^et  safe  to  Land.'  On 
this  I  make  no  ronniinit. 


:• !   ! 


It  was  only  when  the  cry  became  iininr.tal,  and  the  people 
were  in  dan^'er  of  l)ein^  everywhere  divided  or  snittrml, 
and  a  party  of  liirh  mm,  principally  TniMirs  in  the  Con- 
nexion, rose  up  to  prevent  any  concessions  to  lie  made  to 
the  people,  and  it  was  too  evident,  tliat  those  very  men  aimed 
not  only,  as  they  jjrofessed,  to  /vc/y  ilw  pi'Djilr  to  the  Church, 
hut  to  rule  thou  ami  the  I'mirhrrn  tno,  that  the  Preachers  in 
Keneral  declared  in  behalf  of  the  Societies;  and  then,  ami 
not  till  then,  did  I  arjjue  in  their  behalf. 


VI  ':  f 


At  the  London  Conference,  in  17SS,  Dr.  (\)ke,  thinkiiif;  wo 
were  in  danj:er  of  losinj;  our  people,  and  that  our  avowed 
nitiucrlitii  with  thr  Chunh  hindered  our  work,  proposed  in 
Confrrrucf,  that  'the  whole  Methodist  Hody  should  make  a 
formal  separation  from  the  Church  '  In  this  Dr.  Coke  was 
not  only  ivruf.ii,  but  irhrnirnt.  It  was  stated. 'that  it  was 
impossiiile  to  keep  up  the  Connexion  with  it,  that  all  the 
Churches  in  the  nation  could  not  accommodate  our  Conjjre- 
gations,  nor  the  Communion  Tabh's  receiv»>  the  members 
of  our  Societies,  as  Coinnumicants;  and  that  as  they  <.'eii- 
crally  called  out  for  the  Sacrament  from  the  hands  of  tiieir 
own  Preachers,  they  should  have  it,"  etc.  After  the  Doctor 
had  said  what  he  wished  at  the  time  Mr.  Wesley  rose  up  and 
with  great  rnlmnrss  .sv/zV/ :  'I  )r.  (  oke  would  trar  all  from  top 
to  bottom  —  I  will  not  tear,  but  un.itltrh.'  He  had  be^niri 
to  utuititrh.  Witness  the  nrdlnafion  for  Amrrira  and  for 
Scotland  and  his  calling  Mr.  Mi/lcs-  the  year  after  to  come 


JOHN    WKSLKY 


371 


within  tli«-  rails  of  tin-  ((iiiininiiioii-ijliicc  in  I)ul>lin,  to  assist 
liiiii  l)v  niriiin  tlir  Ciiii!  It  has  bwii  said,  'tin-  nu'iiiluTs  of 
our  Sociftics  were  lnl.rn  out  of  thr  Cliiinli,  and  in  forniinj; 
Sociftifs  out  of  its  inrnilnTs,  \vt>  niadi-  a  Scliixni  in  thr  Cliiirrh.' 
This  is  a  total  mistake.  I  know  wfll  wiiat  hns  hrni,  and 
what  /.v  the  composition  of  our  Socii'tif^.  Our  Societies 
were  formed  from  tliox',  wlio  were  iriiiitlrriiui  iiimii  thr  ihtrh 
niDiintdliiK,  that  l)elon)ied  to  no  ('hr'tHtiiiii  Chiirrh;  l)tit  were 
awakened  by  the  preaching;  of  the  Methodists,  who  had 
pursued  them  through  tiie  wilderness  of  this  world  to  the 
IIij;h-ways  and  the  lied^es,  to  tlie  Markets  and  the 
Fairs,  to  the  Hills  and  Dales,  who  set  u|)  tlie  Standard 
of  the  Cross  in  tiiv  Strrrt.^  and  Lnnr.i  of  tlie  Citirs,  in  the 
I'illiKjrs,  in  liiini.t,  and  Fannrrs'  K'ltrhnis,  etc.  and  .ill 
this  in  such  a  way,  and  to  such  an  extent,  as  never  had  heen 
done  before,  since  the  Ai)o>toiic  aj;e.  They  tlirew  tlieir 
dra^-net  into  the  troul)l"d  ocean  of  irreligious  ."Society,  and 
broujiht  to  shore  l)oth  l)ad  and  j;ood  :  and  the  very  be>t  of 
them  needed  the  salvation  of  (iod  :  and  out  of  those,  who  in 
general  had  no  Christian  Comnnniion  with  itiiii  Chiinh 
were  formed  by  tiie  mighty  power  of  the  (Jod  of  all  f;race 
the  Methodists'  Societies.  Thus  they  travelled  into  the 
wilderness,  and  brou;;iit  back  the  stray  sheep,  that,  had  it 
not  been  for  their  endeavours,  would  in  all  likelihood  have 
perisiied  on  the  Dark  Mountains.  Our  Founders  were 
Ministers  of  the  Fstablished  Church,  but  wiiat  j;ood  did 
they  do  as  Ministers  In  that  Churcii?  They  were  oblif^ed 
to  go  ocrr  it.s-  pair,  in  order  to  reach  the  lost  sheep  of  tlie  house 
of  Israel.  Had  they  continued  rrgnlur  in  that  Church, 
Mrthodixni  .would  not  now  be  found  in  our  ecclesiastical 
vocabulary.  And  since  we,  as  a  Body,  threw  aside  the 
trammels  oi"  our  prejudices,  (lod  has  doubly,  trebly  blessed 
U.S  in  our  work."  ' 

Such  was  the  attitude  of  Weslev  when  he  stood  on  the 


I 


! 


'  Thr  I'xtracts  iiri'  itiMTlivl  hire  l>.v  the  kiml  iii'rmissioii  of  the  Hev. 
Watkiusoii,  L).D.,  wlm  is  tlu'  uwin-r  i)f  tin-  Icltor. 


\V.  L. 


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372     TIIKKK    KKLKJIors    LKADKUS   OK   OXKOItl) 

WTtiv  of  tlu-  uraM'.     'I'lit-  <tv  fur  liitii(»riil»l«-   inilciM-mU'iuc 
caiiH-  from  an  iiilliu-iitial  ininurity  of  liis  iin-aclicrs  who  r.- 
.st'iit»'<l  tin-  iiiiliKiiitus  to  wliicli  tln-v  wt-rc  suhjcctt'il  anil  tin- 
anomalous  |)osition  in  wliich  tlu-y  \\»  n-  <"X|)f((«-(l  to  do  tlu'ir 
work,  hut  tlu'ir  K-adtr's  attaclinitiit   to  Anglicanism  for  a 
time   prt'Vfntfd   tlu-   fulfillment  of  their  .loires.     Whether 
or  not  their  proposals  would  have  sccun-d  the  stahility  and 
prosperity  of  the  infant  Chureii  is  still  an  open  <|uestion. 
Those  wlio  hold  that  its  Founder  made  the  most  intelli>;ent 
and  timely  provisicm  pcosihie  have  to  meet  the  fact  that  a 
lar^e  minority  of  the  MethiMlists  enrolle.l  in  (Jreat  Mritain 
are   outside    Wesleyanism,    principally    because   of   schisms 
concerning    the    vexed    ([Uestioiis   of    mini-ierial    authority 
and  relevant  issues.     Doctrinal  diHiculties  were  a  nejrlij;il)le 
(luantity   in   these   disputes,  which,   whatever  their  causes, 
have   greatly    hindered    Methodism.     Its   more   |»ro^'ressive 
members   s(»metimes  formulated   their  claim-  regardless  of 
evidence  and   exjH'rience;    the  conservatives  cIuiik  to  the 
status  (juo  with  unwise  jMrsistence ;    the  con>c(|uences  were 
lamentahle  accusations  and  disruptions.     Many  of  the  de- 
mands  for   advanced    legislation    which    formerly    aroused 
intense  opposition  have  since  heeii  jrranted  hy  the  parent 
body,  whose  adjustment  of  clerical  and  lay  authority   has 
only  been  obtained  after  many  years  of  cautious  experiment. 
The  growth  of  Methodism  in  the  I'nited  States,  wliere  it 
was    not   overshadowed    l)y   a   State   Church,    afforded    no 
sufficient  argument  for  a  like  policy  in  Britain,  w  here  Wesley's 
revered  name  and  unique  position  deferred  the  a(lvaMtaj,'es 
afterwards  secured  at  considerable  cost. 

His  rule,  while  not  perfect,  was  unblemislu-d  by  the 
caprice,  selfishnes.s,  or  tyraimy  which  have  j;enerally  accom- 
panied the  sense  of  unrestrained  power,  and  made  so  many 
jjreat  men  bad  men.  Never  since  the  eras  when  the  Church 
held  sway  over  every  action  has  any  ecclesiastic  possessed  a 
more  complete  autocracy,  or  more  straitly  j;uar(led  it  as  a 
trust  deposited  with  him  by  (iotl  for  the  welfare  of  the  people. 


JOHN    WKSLEY 


373 


Sir  Leslie  Sti-plu-ii  coiiipiuins  of  his  ilisa(;re(>ahlt>  temper, 
l)iit  there  are  >urpri>iiiniy  few  iiistiiiiees  of  its  exhibition. 
On  tlie  contrary,  he  kikw  how  toelouk  his  (K-cusioiiul  severity 
unil  arhitrariness  with  an  urhaiie  or  a  patriarchal  manner. 
Audacity  hahinced  !>>  caution,  firmness  \ailcil  l)y  heiievo- 
K-ncc,  inllexil)ility  cnniiK-iisated  liy  piodiu'^^s,  and  a  courage 
that  reveah'd,  when  ncces>ary,  ilic  fire  l)eneath  his  cahn  e.x- 
terior,  were  the  chief  features  of  his  administrative  capacity. 

Some  a<(ounts  of  his  unfortunat*-  marria^cc  with  Mrs. 
N  azcIHe  liave  not  l>ccn  entirelv  ju>t  to  that  lady,  a  dis- 
passionate view  of  whose  conduct  shows  her  to  have  been  a 
nuuh  aluised  woman,  who  suffered  more  severely  than  her 
husband.  \\e>lcy,  notwithstanding;  the  best  intentions,  did 
not  properly  discharge  the  duties  of  married  life,  nor  <!evote 
himself  to  Mrs.  Wesley  with  the  ardor  he  showeii  for  Iii.s 
mission.  He  was  as  mistaken  in  liis  conception  of  her  as 
she  was  in  her  jealousies  of  him ;  and  his  bearing  toward 
other  women,  while  morally  blameless,  was  indiscreet  in  view 
of  her  extreme  sensitiveness.  Wra|)ped  a  little  too  exclusively 
in  his  r  -le,  lie  addressed  her  in  terms  which  added  fuel 

to  the  fia  of  iier  anger,  and  wiiich  were  better  suited  to  a 
rebellious  |)reaclier  than  to  a  wife  who  i  d  the  tnorbid 

susceptibilities   of   her   ill-regulated    heart.  "'T   years 

he  told  Henry  Moore  that  the  schooling  of  sorrn  whicli  his 
marriage  brought  to  him  ii  I  been  overruled  for  go<Ml,  since 
if  Mrs.  Wesley  had  been  a  better  wife,  he  might  by  seeking 
to  plea.se  her  iiave  proved  unfaithful  to  his  calling. 

The  liglit  and  siiade  of  ordinary  existence  were  as 
foreign  to  Wolcy  as  the  joys  of  domestic  life.  lie  had  to 
yiehl  to  .i  jjressure  from  all  sides  which  injured  his  more 
human  ((ualities.  Ilis  declaration  that  he  d'  ed  no  more 
fret  than  curse  indicated  a  self-consciousness  n!iich  was  also 
shown  in  his  lack  of  hmiior,  and  one  caiuiot  avoid  a  feeling 
of  thankfulness  that  at  intervals  he  let  himself  go  and 
foun<l  relief.  Yet  the  Knglish  people,  however  racy  in 
their  ixchanges,  distrust  a  jocular  clergyman ;    and  Wesley 


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.'{74      TllltKK    HKI.Kilnl  S    LKADKKs  OK   OXFoHI) 

•■uulil  never  lia\f  naiiicl  their  <(iiili<ltii(c  had  he  Mintilhited 
rather  than  slauie.  'I'he  •  hi>M>  to  vNhi<  h  he  chielly  a|)|M'ale<l 
lii^'hly  esteemed  MTi(iu>iiess  in  the  ministerial  eharaetcr; 
they  wiinid  mily  ha\e  heeii  |in//led  liy  >iii  h  lirilhaiit  l»y-|)hiv 
in  \Vesh'\  a^  Sydney  Smith  imhilued,  and  ilnnhth's-  wniild 
have  rcMfited  it.  Dr.  InhnMin,  craving'  fnrtlier  ennversa- 
tinn  with  We-ley.  and  I'aihnt;  to  ulitain  it,  growled  ahoiit  his 
al»nr|»tinn  in  his  work.  lie  al»tained  fmm  social  inter- 
eourso,  even  wiien  it  was  as  an  an  li  tiirouuli  whiili 

"(ilrariifil  the  iintniM'llcil  world," 

and  he  was  openly  hored  iiy  tin-  aristocratic  circles  which 
Whitefield  adiiiireil  and  conrted.  Wlien  he  chose,  he  could 
l)e  a  most  delij;iitt'nl  coinpanion.  hut  his  steadfast  jfaze  was 
on  the  reli^;ious  needs  of  the  race,  and  on 

"...  'I'lii' wIkiIc  of  rlir  worlilV  tcnrs, 
Anil  all  tilt'  Iriiiilili'  dl'  Iut  liilimiriiiK  >liip8, 
And  all  till'  Ironlilc  i>f  licr  nisriail  ycar^." 

Like  St.  I'aul  at  Athens,  he  passed,  not  nnheedin^.  .vet  un- 
moved, throu^cli  scenes  which  would  liave  enchaine<|  a  less«T 
spirit.  This  aloofness  injured  his  folhiwers  more  than  it  in- 
jured hin(,  for  while  he  rt^'arded  some  tliinjis  as  secular  which 
in  essence  were  sacred  enouKli,  he  was  always  a  liheral  thinker 
and  a  sympathetic  student  of  men  and  all'airs. 

He  lacked  tiie  holdiu-ss  of  iina>;inati<in  which  could  frame 
philosophical  or  theolo>;ical  hypotheses  and  generalizations. 
His  intellect  was  of  the  prosaical  sort,  uninfluenced  hy  those 
hi^dier  hut  more  hazardous  motions  which  characterized  his 
eontemporary,  Jonathan  Kdwards.  His  sentinu-ntalisin  and 
taste  for  the  romantic,  like  his  drift  toward  Moravian  mysti- 
cism, were  finally  mastered  hy  his  will  and  his  reason.  A 
feelinjc  which  did  not  evince  itself  in  action  counted  for 
little:  he  measured  mental  and  moral  processes  hy  their 
results  in  conduct ;  the  only  indications  of  a  change  of 
heart  he  felt  free  to  accept  were  a  st-nsihle  regeneration  and 


i 


It 


JOHN    UKSLKY 


375 


its  iiiitwanl  «'vitlriur  in  piiritv  of  lite  uml  <iiiiV(Tsatii)n.  lit- 
IMTcriMil  that  ill  tlu'  uniit  luatttr-^  of  «\i-«t<'ii(<'  |M-o|)lr  an- 
Mot  coiiv  iiici'il  liv  ar;;iiini'Mt.  (iooil  lo^ic  may  rctiiovf  ilifli- 
<'iilti«'s  whii'li  iinpt'ilt'  litlirf,  Imt  faith  ha>  it>  ori^'in  in  a 
moral  trm|Kr,  ami  whrii  thi>  i>  al»riit  the  iiio^t  cojtiiit 
•  iiahi  lies  arr  wa-.tnl.  liitrlicctual  o|MTatioii>  have  iicvcr 
IxTii  rfailil\  ailjii^tnl  to  thox-  nii^tioii-  iln|llll-^•^,  which, 
tlioiit'h  tlu-y  rtiiiaiii  anions  tin-  dcfpcr  iiiy^tirio  of  human 
hfiiiH.  ha\t'  yrt  lircii  powerful  fiioiiKh  to  transform  h>  vi\- 
tirr  tharactcr,  and  (lirt'<t  it  into  mw  chaiiiuN.  Thii^,  whilt- 
tluTi' is  a  Wolryaii  thn>lo;;\,  a  NS''->lcyan  hyiiiMolo>;\ ,  and  a 
Wt-<lc\an  ty|M'  of  rtTi;:ion>  t\pcri»  lac.  tlu-rc  is  no  Wcslcyan 
pliiloM>pliy.  His  sy>tfin  was  n>  vcr  t-ndanp ml  hy  such 
streams  of  mctapliysical  ^pntilatioii  as  tlowtil  in  ( 'al\  inisiii. 
For  this  and  Ic^mt  reasons  certain  authors  ha\c  supported 
the  char>;es  of  his  earlier  op|)oiients  that  Wesley  ^wuii>;  the 
liendiiliim  from  the  intellectual  to  the  emotional  side  of 
Christianity.  What  he  really  did  was  to  demonstrate  tin; 
vahies  of  spiritual  esperieiice  to  such  a  ile^cree  that  philosophy 
\va  -  compelled  to  at  knowledge  them.  That  he  did  this  un- 
wittingly lilies  not  detract  from  its  importance,  and  the 
latest  mcMlern  thou^;ht  has  confessed  that  his  movement 
re-enthroned  a  reli^'ious  consciousness  which  must  he  recog- 
nized and  respected. 

Ilis  .lournal  contains  many  allusions  to  literature  in 
jieiieral.  with  reflections  and  coininents  iipon  pa'tii  iilar  w(trks 
of  numerous  authors,  as  for  e\ain|)le,  Machiavelli's  "  rrince," 
of  which  he  ohserve^  that  it  eiijreiidereil  in  Kuropean  govern- 
ment universal  enmity  and  strifi',  its  policies  heiiig  hound 
l)y  no  moral  oliligation  to  (iod  or  man.  and  thri\in^'  on 
destruction.  Mandeville's  "  Kalile  of  the  Mees,"  a  very 
shrewd  and  ad\aiicc<l  conmieiitary  on  national  hypocrisies, 
which  asserted  that  private  vices  were  puhlic  virtues,  was 
even  more  ahaialoneil  than  'The  I'rince."  Marcus  Aurelius 
was  "one  of  those  many  who  shall  come  from  the  Kast  and 
the    West    anil    sit    down    v  tli    .Xhrahain.    while    nominal 


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376      THREE    HELKilOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

Christians  arc  shut  out."     Rousseau  was  "a  shallow  yet 
supercilious  infidel,  two  degrees  below  Voltaire."     Ignatius 
Loyola,  'hose   career   he   studied  with  care,  was  "surely 
one  of  the  greatest  of  men  that  was  ever  engaged   in  the 
support  of  so  had  a  cause,"  one  who    '>t  out  "with  a  full 
persuasion   that   he   might  use  guile  lo  promote  .  .  .  the 
interests  of  his  ("hurch,  and  acted  in  all  things  consistent 
with  his  princii)les."     Of  the  Turitans  he  wrote,  "  I  stand  in 
ama/.e,  first,   at  the  execrahle  spirit  of  persecution   which 
drove  these   venerable  men  out  of  the  Church,  and   with 
which  Queen  Elizabeth's  clergy  were  as  deeply  tinctured  as 
ever  Queen  Mary's  were:  secondly,  at  the  weakness  of  those 
holy  confessors,  nuuiy  of  whom  spent  so  much  of  their  time 
and    strength    in   disputing   about   surplices   and    hoods   or 
kneeling  at   the  Lord's  Supi)er."     There  were  deei)er  ele- 
ments in  the  Puritar.  controversy  than  are  indicated  by  this 
criticisMi,  which  is,  however,  admissible  so  far  as  it  goes. 
On   reading   Hichard   Haxter's   "History  of  the  Councils," 
he   vigorously  denounced   their  evil   side:    "How   has  one 
Council  been   perpetually  cursing  another,   ai.d   delivering 
all  over  to  Satan,  whether  predecessors  or  contemporaries, 
though   generally   trifling,   sometimes   false  and   frequently 
unint'-lligible  and  self-contradictory?" 

His  judgments  were  not  always  within  the  mark,  yet 
the  desire  to  be  just  made  him  aware  of  the  good  in  disputing 
sectaries,  whose  religious  life  was  a  unity  at  its  source. 
Anglican,  Xonconformist,  and  even  Roman  Catholic  divines, 
theologians, and  exegetes  shared  in  the  aj)proval  he  generously 
bestowed  where  he  deemed  it  deserved.  In  art,  although 
he  saw  the  weakness  of  design  in  the  great  cartoons  of 
Raphael,  his  opinions  were  negligible.  Music  was  always 
his  delight,  especially  the  oratorio,  in  which  England  has 
excelled.  In  his  later  years  he  loved  to  linger  among  the 
monuments  of  Westminster  Abbey,  where  his  own  has  since 
recei\ed  its  place. 

Wesley  could  not  be  called  a  great  scholar,  in  the  present 


ii  .0 


JOHX    WKSLEY 


377 


technical  sense  of  the  term,  altliou>;li  the  I'niversity  traininj; 
lie  received,  whieli  was  linked  with  the  names  <if  such  men  as 
HIaekstone,  the  lefjal  commentator,  Lo.vth,  the  lecturer  on 
Isaiaii,  the  Wartons,  •  )e(ia!l\-  Tho-nas,  who  was  poet 
laureate,  Addison,  and  Dr.  Joiuison,  can  he  truly  said 
to  have  left  its  mark  on  Enjiland.  Oxford's  thinkers  of  t^ie 
eifjhteenth  century  acquiesced  in  the  supremacy  of  Aristotle, 
and  contrihuted  little  to  the  i)rof;ress  of  organized  or  meta- 
j)hysital  in(|uiry.  Krudition  was  constantly  endangered  by 
the  acerbities  of  politic.d  i)artisanshij),  and  few  of  the  dons 
shared  in  the  ra])id  expansion  of  learning  which  characterized 
their  rivals  at  ("amhridge.  Alexander  Knox  states,  however, 
that  Wesley  had  an  attachment  to  the  Knglish  I'latonists, 
including  Taylor,  Smith,  ("udworth,  Wortiiington,  and 
Lucas.  Mis  lifi'  of  ceaseless  journeyings  and  labors  gave 
him  little  time  for  literary  interests,  and  it  is  greatly  to  his 
credit  that  he  read  as  widely  ami  wrote  as  accurately  as  he 
did.  I  lis  Journal,  which  is  anu)ng  the  first  half  dozen  works 
of  the  era.  shows  the  difficulties  under  which  he  pursued 
his  studies.  Neither  tempestuous  winds  nor  dripi)ing  skies, 
summer  heat  nor  winter  cold,  breakdowns  on  the  road  nor 
impassable  highways,  threatening  mobs  nor  the  necessities 
of  his  Societies,  could  restrain  his  avidity  for  books,  and, 
above  all,  for  the  One  Book  with  which  he  was  most  con- 
versant. IMosed  with  a  compact  and  sinewy  frame,  and 
an  equable  temperament,  he  neither  hurried  nor  chafed, 
nor  did  he  suffer  any  reaction  from  his  toils.  The  anxieties 
which  cH)rrode  the  lives  of  those  who  wear  themselves  out 
in  battling  for  tem])oralities  were  unknown  to  liim  :  the 
inspiration  of  his  aims  sustained  him  against  every  cir- 
cumstance. During  eighty-i'ight  years  he  lost  but  one 
night's  sleep,  and  at  all  times  his  composure  enabled  him 
to  withdraw  within  himself.  His  seat  in  the  saddle  or  the 
diaise  became  a  cloister  where  he  read  and  meditated, 
regardless  of  his  surroundings. 
There  he  planned  his  sermons  and  writings  and  reprints 


1    i\ 


ll 


M  i 


I  I 


:?        i 


fil 


f.  ii 


37S      TIIHEK    HKLKilOlS    I.KADERS  OF   OXFORD 

of  (itluT  nu'ii's  works,  wliioli  liad  jin  onornioiis  cimilation 
aiid  iiiHiK'iur.     The  inajjaziiu'  wliidi  lio  o.stal)lisiu-<l  in  1778 
is  now  the  oldest  periodical  of  its  kind  in  Great  Britain.     The 
entire  list  of  his  |)nl)Heations  wonid  lonn  a  voinine  in  itself, 
and  a  glance  at  their  contents  enables  one  to  realize  the 
tireless  energy  and  skill  of  the  man.     They  ranged  from  the 
standard  doctrines  of  a  growing  church  to  the  quaint  prc- 
scrii)tions  of  "I'riniitive   Physic,"  and  most  of  them  were 
eagerly  acce|)tetl  and  i)ractised  hy  the  multitudes  to  whom  his 
word  was  law.     His  style  was  decidedly  inferior  to  that  of 
Xewman  and  other  masters:    he  did  not  have  nor  did  he 
desire   to   have   the   sul)tleties   of   thought    and    expression 
which  were  tlu-  great  Tractarian's.     In  answer  to  the  query, 
"What  is  it  that  constitutes  a  ;>  lod  style/"   he  said,   "I 
never  think  of  it  at  all,  hut  jn-     set  down  the  words  that 
come  first.     Only  when  I  transcrihe  anything  for  the  press, 
then  I  think  it  my  duty  to  see  that  ever\-  piirase  he  cleari 
pure,  proper,  and  easy,     ("onciseness,  which  is  now  as  it 
were  natural  to  me,  brings  quantum  snfficit  of  strength."  ' 
Sir  U'sUv  Stei)hen  observes,  '•He  shows  remarkal)le  literary 
power ;    but  '.\e  feel  that  his  writings  are  means  to  a  direct 
practical  end,  rather  than  valuable  in  themselves,  either  in 
form  or  substance.     It  would  be  didicult  to  find  any  letters 
more  direct,  forcible,  and   jnthy   in  expression.  .  .  .     The 
compression  gives  emphasis  and  never  causes  confusion."" 
In  summary,  if  culture  consists  in  knowing  much  of  the 
best  that  has  been  thought  and  said,  in  breadth  of  outlook 
and  intellectual  sympathy,  then  it  cannot  be  denied  that 
Wesley   was  a   cultured  man.     Pagan   masters,   heretics  of 
the  ancient  Church,  and  "excellent  I'nitarians,"  like  Thomas 
Finnin,   whose  biography  he  connnended  to  his  followers, 
were  included  in  his  appreciative  review.     As  early  as  174."} 
he  issued  a  letter  to  his  people  which  has  a  message  for  them 
tcMlay.     "Have  a  care  of  anger,  dislike  or  contemi)t  toward 

'  f-  "Tyniiai]  :    •I.if,.  and  Tiiiji's  „!  .John  Wfsl,.y"  ;    V..I,  III.  p.  (>,-)7. 
'  "  Kiinlisli  Thuimlit  in  tin-  i;iKlii<'fiitli  ( '.Mitiiry  "  ;    \'.il,  II,  p.  4ii!». 


j!  •     i 


JOHN    VVKSLEY 


379 


thoso  whoso  oj)iiii()iis  diflVr  from  yours.  You  are  daily 
act-used  of  this  (and  indeed  wiiat  is  it  wliere  you  are  not 
aceusedV),  l)i!t  hew  are  of  giviiij;  any  },'round  for  sueh  aeeusa- 
tion.  Condenin  no  man  for  not  thinisinf;  as  you  tliink.  Let 
every  one  enjoy  the  full  and  free  liberty  of  thinkiuf;  for  him- 
self. lA't  every  man  use  his  own  judjiment,  since  every 
man  nuist  jjive  an  account  of  himself  to  (lod.  Ahhor  every 
approach,  in  any  kind  or  degree,  to  the  spirit  of  persecution. 
If  you  cannot  reason  or  persuade  a  man  into  truth,  never 
attemjjt  to  force  him  into  it.  If  lt»ve  will  not  comijcl  him  to 
conu'  in,  leave  him  to  (lod,  the  Judjie  of  all."  "The  Meth- 
odists," he  said  at  another  time,  "do  not  impose,  in  order 
to  the  admission  of  i)ersons  to  their  Society,  any  ojunions 
whatsoever.  Let  them  hold  particular  or  fjeneral  redemp- 
tion, al)M>lute  or  conditional  decrees;  let  them  he  Church- 
men or  Dissenters,  I're^hyterians  or  Independents,  it  is  no 
>l)stacle.  Lt't  them  choose  one  modi'  of  baptism,  it  is  no 
har  to  their  admission.  The  I'reshyterian  may  he  a  Preshy- 
teriaii  still;  the  Indei)endent  or  Anabaptist  use  his  own 
modi  t'  worship.  So  may  the  Quaker,  and  none  will  con- 
tend with  hini  about  it.  They  think  and  let  think.  One 
condition  and  one  only  is  recpiired  —  a  real  desire  to  save 
their  soul.  Where  this  is,  it  is  enough  ;  they  desire  no  more ; 
they  lay  stress  upon  nothinf;  else;  they  ask  ordy,  'Is  thy 
heart  therein  as  my  heart?  If  it  be,  give  me  thy  hand.'" 
lie  was  aliv(>  to  the  defects  of  many  who  make  nuich  of 
religious  feeling  or  strict  dogmatic  statements,  yet  are 
hmientably  deficient  in  Christian  charity.  I  lis  own  catho- 
licity was  accompanied  by  a  chivalrous  bearing  towards 
opponents,  to  be  ascribetl,  not  to  the  indifference  which 
treats  doctrines  and  creeds  as  superfluous,  but  to  his  certi- 
tude concerning  what  he  held  as  of  faith,  and  to  the  more 
perfect  love  which  casts  out  fear.  The  character  >uch  faith 
and  love  create  is  of  far  more  importance  than  intellec- 
tual gifts.  Too  often  highly  rationalizerl  convictions  are 
found  in  men  of  weak  ])urpose  or  low  motive,  and  though 


m 


m 


I 


'I  I 


f  l. 

'  'i  I 


4'i 


380     THREE   RELIGIOUS  LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

opinions  are  an  important  part  of  characttT,  and  never 
more  so  than  v.hen  tlu-y  affect  sacred  matters,  they  should 
not  l)e  confused  with  it. 

While  his  complex  personality  was  not  faultless,  two 
things  were  ne\er  possible  for  Wesley:  to  hetray  even 
for  a  moment  his  rehpous  vocation,  or  to  hesitate  at  any 
sacrifice  in  its  behalf.  .\(.  one  could  be  less  careful  of  his 
own  interests;  he  despised  mercenary  considerations,  and 
the  end  of  life  found  him  as  p<M)r  as  he  was  at  his  birth. 
The  narrowing  lust  of  j;old  was  abolished  in  him  by  his 
literal  tH)mpliance  with  the  word  of  the  Master,  a  word 
which  has  always  been  one  of  the  very  last  His  followers 
are  willing  to  apply  to  themselves.  Wesley  met  it  with 
thoroughness  by  giving  away  everything  he  liad,  and  on  his 
own  showing  he  never  possessed  a  hundred  pounds  which  he 
C(mld  call  his  i.  Uv  brought  himself  and  his  followers 

withm  the  diviiir  injunction.  "If  thou  wouldest  be  perfect, 
go,  sell  that  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor;"    and  his 
latest    discourses    contain    frequent    warnings    against  the 
demoralization  of  unconsccrated  wealth.     This  is  but  one, 
and  yet  how  sufficient  an  illustration  of  that  profoundly  re^ 
ligious  spirit  which  dictated   his  affairs  and  sought  through 
them  to  do  the  Highest  Will.     During  a  long  and   exalted 
career,   of  which    he   himself  was   the  straitest   c-ensor,  he 
occupied  a  height  on  which  the  light  was  always  beating; 
content  to  be  an  inexplicable  mystery  to  those  who.  actuate.! 
by  a  less  devout  or  coniijrehensivc  temper,  shareil  neither 
his  convictions  nor  his  experiences,  and  to  fulfill  the  Apostle's 
ideal,  "I  live,  yet  not  I,  Christ  liveth  in  me."     He  believed 
that  (lod,  in  assuming  human  flesh,  living  sinlessly  in  its 
limitations,  and  dying  for  sinners,  had  ellected  tliat  recon- 
ciliation between    Himself  and  man   which   is  the  greatest 
achievement  in  moral  history.     This  doctrine  of  the  Person 
of  our  bml  he  unfeigiicdly    .ccept.-.l ;    tliis,  and  this  alone. 

was  for  him  the  un(|uestioned  basis  of  his  ( fidcnce  and  joy. 

He  neither  modified  nor  nn'nimized  it.     It  was  "the  creed 


JOHN    WKSLEY 


381 


of  creeds,  involved  in,  and  arisiiif;  out  of,  tlie  work  of  works." 
The  Chiirel)  no  less  than  the  individual  lived  in  and  by  its 
<rntral  truth;  the  collapse  of  relifjion  quickly  followed  its 
ahandonnient.  In  that  faith  is  to  \i>-  found  the  intrinsic 
explanation  of  Wesley's  moral  j;rcatni'ss,  and  the  devotion 
it  inspired  has  always  been  the  salient  characteristic  of 
those,  who,  like  him,  have  attained  holiness  in  the  patience 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

No  sjiirit  shines  hy  its  own  radiance,  and  none  can  trans- 
mit more  lij;lit  than  its  purity  enables  it  to  receive.  The 
strength  and  range  of  Wesley's  illumination  reflect  the 
closeness  of  his  fellowship  with  the  Light  of  lights.  The 
faith  and  works  of  the  ^aint,  the  evangelist,  the  statesman, 
the  theologian,  and  the  builder  of  the  Church  were  derived 
directly  from  his  risen  Lord.  Had  Chri>t  entered  the  room 
in  Aldersgate  Street  as  He  did  that  other  room  in  Jerusalem, 
visible  to  the  worshi|)ing  gaze  of  I  lis  disciples,  and  silencing 
the  doubts  of  Thomas,  Wesley  could  not  have  left  it  more 
determined  to  follow  Him  in  His  ministry  of  mercy  and 
redemptior.  From  that  moment  he  was  borne  upward 
and  onward  by  a  sui)reme  atfection  to  freedom  and  to  power 
as  the  anointed  servant  of  his  century  and  of  the  nations. 
As  it  is  the  function  of  fire  to  give  light  and  warmth,  so  it 
was  the  function  of  his  new-found  love  to  spread  the  sense  of 
love.  His  coinersioii  discovered  him  an  ecclesiastic  ensnared 
in  legalisms;  it  made  him  the  greatest  prophet  and  evan- 
gelist the  English-speaking  j)eople  have  known.  Everything 
lived  at  his  touch,  and  as  an  agent  of  religious  revolution 
he  earned  the  praise  and  reverence  of  those  who  imitated 
his  example,  whether  in  his  own  or  in  other  communions. 

rndeterred  by  the  ajipalling  contrasts  botwecii  his  tastes 
and  habits  and  those  of  the  di-graded  masses,  he  entered  the 
ilreary  haunts  of  physical  and  moral  destitution,  a  spiritual 
Archimedes,  who  had  found  his  le\erage  and  proposed  to 
upraise  the  lost  and  the  abandoned,  not  only  to  decency, 
but  to  holiness.     He  foresaw,  gathered  from  these  waste 


i.i 


382      TMKKK    KKLKJIOUS    LKADKUS   OF   OXFOIU) 


ii; 


places,  an  idi-al  riiiircli  of  n-jjoiicratcd  souls,  l)roa(lly  ami 
si'curfly  based  on  love  and  social  duty.  Toward  tliat  divine 
society  the  faitli  <tf  mankind  is  ever  steadily  Kr'wiiiK,  a 
society  not  of  antagonisms,  hut  of  concord,  not  of'artificial 
sci)aration,  hut  of  spiritual  unity  —  the  Bride  for  whose 
comiii^;  her  Heavenly  Hridef,'rooin  waits. 

If   Wesley    presetitcd    an    extraordinary    combination    of 
characteristics  seldom  found  in  any  individual,  it  is  also  of 
the  first  importance  to  remember  that,  unlike  strong  men  in 
other  spheres,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  carryinjj  out  his  own 
ideas.     The  seciuence  of  events  |)laced   him    in    the  unique 
position  for  which  his  qualities  were  exactly  fitted  ;  even  the 
eoiitradictions  of  his  age  enlarged  his  capacity  f(tr  arousing 
and  handling  passional  forces  that  previously  had  no  outlet 
in  religion.     He  made  such  diligent  use  of  his  entire  equij)- 
nient  that  the  Church  which  was  his  own  embodiment  be- 
came to  Britain  and  America    the  purveyor  of  his  affeetion, 
his  courage,  his  prudence,  his  detestation  of  sin,  his  love  of 
the  sinner,  and  his  faith  in  a  Higher  Power.     Memory  fre- 
quently tells  a  tale  idmost  as  flattering  as  that  of  hope,  but 
few  characters  apjx'ar  in   the  teeming  fields  of   retrospect 
which  justify  its  optimism  more  than  does  that  of  Wesley. 
Happy  is  the  nation  which  gave  him  to  the  highest  i)ossible 
service.     Incalculable  are  the  obligations  Xorth  America  and 
the  world  at  large  owe  her  for  such  a  gift.     Blessed  are  the 
I)eoplc  in  whose  midst  he  ino\cd,  vigorous  without  vehcmeiicr, 
neither  loud  nor  labored,  but  as  a  fixed  star  of  truth  and 
goodness,  a  pattern  of  private  excellence  and  public  virtue. 
And  while  he  is  regarded  with  ever  deepening  reverence 
and  gratitude,  not  the  least  cause  for  thankfulness  is  the  assur- 
ance that  He  who  sent  him  forth  as  the  angel  of  the  churches, 
to  "turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the 
disobedient  to  walk  in  the  wisdom  of  the  just;    to  make 
ready  for  the  Lord  a  people  prepared  for  Him,"  can  and  will, 
m   His  infinite  goodness,   grant   His   Israel  another  prince 
who  shall  continue  Wesle\'.s  work. 


JOHN    WESLEY 


383 


IMPORTANT   DATES    IN    WESLEY'S  LIFE 


1725  Ordaim-il  Deacon. 

1720  P'locted  I'Vllow  of  Lincoln  ("ollc);i'. 

1727  Di'urcc  of  ^^A.  <onfcrr<><l  at  Oxford,  February  14. 

1727-2S  ("urate  at  Kpwortli  and  Wr(M)tt". 

1729-:{."i  Tutor  at  Oxford. 

173t)-3.S  (ieorjiia,  Anu'ri<'a. 

1739-91  Itineratc<i  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland. 


•\l 


Preside*!  at  the  following  Conferences  : 


1744 

London 

1760 

Bristol 

1776 

Ixindon 

174.1 

Bristol 

1761 

I.ondon 

1777 

Bristol 

1746 

Bristol 

1762 

IxH'ds 

1778 

l/Ceds 

1747 

Lon<lon 

1763 

1/mdon 

1779 

liondon 

1748 

Bristol 

1764 

Bristol 

1780 

Bristol 

1740 

Ix)ndon 

1765 

Manchester 

17SI 

Leeds 

17.-)0 

Bristol 

1766 

lA'e<ls 

1782 

Ix>ndon 

1751 

Bristol 

1767 

liondon 

1783 

Bristol 

17.52 

Bristol 

i7as 

Bristol 

1784 

lA'eds 

1753 

IxhhIs 

1769 

IahmIs 

1785 

I-ondon 

18.54 

Ixindon 

1770 

liondon 

1786 

Bristol 

1 7.55 

liPcds 

1771 

Bristol 

1787 

Manchester 

17.56 

Bristol 

1772 

lAH'ds 

17SS 

London 

1757 

I.,t)ndon 

1773 

lionilon 

1789 

Lee<!s 

17.58 

Bristol 

1774 

Bristol 

1790 

Bristol 

1759 

London 

1775 

Ix'ei  Is 

i 


Born  at  Epworth,  .June  2S,  1703. 

Died  at  City  Road,  London,  March  2,  1791,  aged  88  years. 


If 


I 


384      THREE   FtELKilOL'S   LEADEltS  OF  OXFORD 


HIHl.KKJRAI'MV 

HiKKKi.!.,  Ai(irsTi\K.     Kssiix  s  mnl  AiMrcssr-i. 
I).\VKM'.mT,   F.   M.     l'riniitiv,.Triiit.  in  l{..|i«iniis  Revivals. 

Ennivl»i,(i,liii  liriltwnii;i.      Arli.lc  on  Wesley.      \ol.  XXVIII.      Hth 
f'liitioii. 

F.U  I.K\KU,  ,F.   A.     Tlic  Metlio.li,ts. 

FlKllKiT,  \V.   II.     \\V,|,.y  an.l  IlisfViitiiry. 

(Joui.KY,  A.  I).     OxfonI  ill  the  i;iKlite.Mitli"Century. 

(;nK(;r.iiv,  ,F.   KoHiNsuN.     A  I lisiorv  of  Met li...lism. 

K<iK,    W.    I{.      .Stlliiiesof  Knulisli  >ivsti<-.. 

.l.\(KSc,N,  Thomas.      Life  of  <lKirle-."\Ve>ley. 

J.WlKs,   Wii.l.lAM.     \arieties  of  KeliKioiis  Kxi)eriiTiee. 

Lk(  KV.  W.  K.  H.     History  of  Fi.nlaii.l  in  tiu-  KlKhteenth  Century. 

M.UNs,  (,.   I».     Francis  A-lxiry. 

M<('aI(TIiv,  .Jistix.     The  Four  (Jeorgcs. 

M,t/„Hli,m,  .  t  Xrw  lli,lon,  „f.     Ivjite.!  i.y  W.  .1.  Townsend,  H.  B.  Work- 
tiian.  and  (Jeorjje  Kayrs. 

OvKinos,  .J.   H.     .loiin  Wesley. 

OvKliTuN.  .1    H.     The  KvanKdieal  Revival  in  tin-  EiKhtoenth  Century. 

I'attisux,  Mahk.     Kssays. 

Ri>i(i,  J.   H.     The  Livinji  Wesley. 

R..s(..K,  K.  S.     'I'h..  Fn^lish  .S'ene  in  tho  Kinhtoenth  Centiirv. 

Skki.ky,  .1.   R.     The  Fxpanslon  of  nn;rlan(l. 

SiMo.v,  J.  ,>s.     TIh-  Revival  of  i{eli>;ion  in  the  FiKhteenth  Centurv 

Snkll,   F.  .1.     Wesley  an.)  .Methodism. 

SolTIIKY,    RoBKHT.      Life  of  Wesley. 

Stkpiikv,  .Siu  Lksi.ik.     Fn^lish  fhonjrht  in  the  F^-hteenth  Century 

SVDNKY.  W.  C.     Fnu'lan-l  an.l  the  FnjrJish  in  the  K.^-htcenth  Centur'v 

J  Kl.FoHi),  .r«)HV.     Life  of  Charles  Wesley. 
TKI.HUil).  .Icmv.     John  Wesley. 
Tykiuian.  Likk.     Life  and  Times  of  Rev.  .John  Wesley 

TykKMAN.    LiKK.      The  Oxford  M.tho.lists. 

WKwav.M.n.  .ItM.iA.    .John   Wesl,.y  an.l   the  Evanpelioal   Reaction  of 

the  KiRliteenth  Century. 
Wl.NCIIKNTHi,   C.  'J".     ,lol,n" Wesley. 
ffenley'.'i  Journal.     Standard  Edition.     Edited  by  Xeheiuiah  Curnock. 


I'.'  '  !•' 


it; 


n(X)K  III 

JOHN    HENUY    NKWMAN 

ANT) 

THE   OXFORD    M0\K>H:NT   OF    18;j:M845 


if 


1 


385 


I 


And  when  the  stream 
Whicli  ovcrflowi'd  tlic  soul  wa^^  passccl  away, 
A  ronsciousru'ss  rciiiaiiiol  that  it  hail  left, 
DqMysitcil  iipoii  the  >ili'iit  sliuro 
Of  iiK'iiiiiry,  iiiiji(<f>  iinil  pri't'ious  tlii>uf;liU, 
That  !*hall  not  die,  ami  caiiiiot  ho  dt'stroywl. 

Wt)iU).swuRTii :    The  Excursion,  Book  VII. 


;im 


H      ' 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY  RENAISSANCE 


I    ^ 


•  -i 


3S7 


!    Il' 


11 


i    I 

i|  I 


'U  <■■ 


■I  I 


:l: 


il 


\{ 


.  n  .,  r  .I..UI.,    ,f  n.|,u ,..,,.1,1  r-mmn  i,.  ,1...  „„r..  r..„l,n  nf  ^-u- 

""»"••  "   """''I  '"■  '->"n.l  Mm.  .iMri,.li..,io„  of  s..i..„,...;    ,„„  ,..|i,i,.„ 

P'"''^^*' ;';-l'-^i'-lf  in  .loMriM..,  .,,,1  i,„,it,..m,H  uhi.h  .•,...„„. 

.-■  yv.n,,,..|  fn.M,  .-rmrMM.     TIm..  ,|.,..,rin..,.  «l.i,.|.  U-nr  u.H.n  tl...ir 

.      ,1,..  „„l..|,l.l,.  ,1,.,,.  ,.f  „,...r  l.ir,l,,  i,n,,li..a,..  as  ,..  ,|,..  ,.„„s,i,„ti..„ 

'M-l  M"t,.n.  „l  ,|„.  vsnt.n,.,  ,„  ,1...  ..„„.,„i.,.|  s,Ti,.t.,r..s.  ....rtrnn  notions 
'■;7""'''  \': '"•  '- "' '0   nn.|  K..,„.r,.|  ..i..,!,.,  of  „  l.v«on,.  ,.•  i. 

;; ';;;:"""  ";'"^>  ■  '  ".'"-•  < •  -i-n  .!»■  „i.iiosophy  ..n-i  Ju,.  „f 

'"'"     ""■'  '"■'"7^"»  1^  M,„  „„.n.K   to  ,. „,i,  „„  ana..|,ro„is,n;   it  is 

t"  -n  ..r  npon  n  ,l...,,..n„..  ..„„fli..,  i„  „|,i,|,  ,|,,  ,,„|.oritv  of  tlu-  pas,  is 
Mrfniti.il  III  jhImimc,.,  "  ' 

This  is  xvliv  tni.lifion.l  ,l,,„|,„,v  ,p,«,,p,  ,,,,,,,  „,  ,„.  j,,  ,,j^j^^,^^. 
.HI..  I.v  on,,  sli..  al.mi,loiis  U,r  aM.i.nt  positions,  huviiiK  Uvn  i.nal.l,.  ,. 
hn.i  ,s».,.urit>  or  a  l.usis  of  ,h(v,wv  in  any  of  tlutn. 

Aluiste  Sabatier. 


388 


CIIAITFU    IX 


THK    NINKTK,K\TII    <  KNTIHY    HKNAISSANTK 

Nrwiiiiiii  ^iiiil  llic  (Kfonl  MmrriHii;  lli^lnriral  prrpiirntion  — 
M<'t)iiN|  (if  stii>i\  I'olilicMl  iinil  <'('iiniinii<'  lllltl'l'<'l|l'llt^  l>auii  of 
II  iiiw  crii  !'tilitiiriiiiii-iii  Kiiiit's  ctliii'  l^'^^inj;  Scliliicr- 
iniiiliiT's  new  llniiliiyy  Uniai^^niKi'  of  Ncicncr  'riidiiwis  Cnrlylc 
-  WiinNttorlli  lliuli  mill  l,i>w  Cliiinli  [uirlio  Uniiiil  (hiircli 
tliiiikiTs  Colrriilnc's  Nrii|>liitiiiii>iii  |l;-.ti)ri(iil  iinil  Hihiicnl  eriti- 
cisiil  -Miliiiiiii'-'  "lli'liirv  (if  the  ,I(W>"  'riif  (  ainliriilp'  a(Hi^tlos 
-  ('iiniui|i  Tliirlwall  Tlic  Oxfiml  NiHlics  -  Uichanl  Wliatcl.v 
Dr.  I.ldv.l  ami  tlic  rravcr  U(i(ik  -  'I'hc  iiatiini  Aiiti-('atli(ilif  and  Krui- 
tiiin  '-  Tlic  'I'ractariaii  reaction. 


No  modern  nlifiioiis  revival  luis  received  more  attention 
from  writers  of  literary  distinction  tlian  the  Oxfonl  Move- 
ment of  the  eirly  Nictorinn  jxTiod.  Tlie  main  reason  for 
nny  further  reft-reiice  to  it  is  tliat  ( ic  li  succeeding  generation 
sees  it  from  a  dillVrent  point  of  view,  and  fa>hions  for  itself 
its  own  conci'ptions  of  the  issues  wliich  the  Movement  pro- 
jected into  art.  poetry,  ecc|csia>ticism,  theology,  and  religion. 
Moreover,  tlie  transcendent  pcrxinaiity  of  John  Henry 
Newman  is  insej)aral)ly  associated  with  tliat  particular  epocli 
in  Anjilicanism,  and  has  heen  a  pert  luiial  source  of  attraction 
for  representatives  of  every  scliool  of  thou^lit.  Dr.  A.  iv 
Ahhott,  Thomas  Huxley,  .lames  Martineau.  Dean  HurKon, 
Dean  Church,  Thomas  Mozley,  IVincipal  I'airhairn,  Wilfred 
Ward,  and  Aliiemon  Cecil  are  di>tin^'uished  names  'cle(*ed 
at  random  from  a  host  of  contemporaries  and  hiojirapliers 
who  have  i)een  identified  in  the  eil'ort  to  >hape  a  true  lii>tory 
both  of  the  Movement  itself  and  of  Newman  as  its  most 
commandiu};  fij;ure.     His  per\asive  inlluence  upon  religion 


3i»0     THItKK    ItKLICIors    LKADP^HS  OF   OXFORD 


ill' 


and  human  life  jjavc  rise  to  <'ii(llcss  controversies  in  which 
friend  and  foe  were  alike  inspin-d  l)y  the  sentiment  that  he 
belon^jed  not  only  to  his  own  hut  to  following  eras,  and  thoui^h 
no  longer  for  many  of  them  what  he  was  for  the  first  ^-roup  of 
followers  at  Oxford,  still  for  all.  and   for  those  •••;..  0..;ui(! 
come  after  them,  one  of  the  si)iritual  geniuses    .t  the  rai^ 
The  memorable  year  of   |s:5:!  marked  an  h    ;.!,  iiin;r  in 
the  Established  Church  of  Knj;land,  <lue  in  la  ; c  ii.rasare 
tc  the  conjunct''!,!  of  Newman  with  John  Keble  and  Uicha.-.] 
Ilurrell   Froude  at  Oriel  College.     ^J'hat  awakening  irans- 
fonned   th.'   ecclesiastical    ideals   of   Ilijrh   Anglicanism:    it 
manifestly  affected  the  worship  and  ritual  of  churches  derived 
from   Puritanism,  and  it   materially   modified  the  attitude 
of  the  British  nation  toward   the  Papacy.     Principles  and 
opinions  which  seemed  farthest  removed  from  the  actual 
surface   consciousness   of   Knj;lishinen    were   recovered    and 
disseminated  with  astonishing  vijjor  and  success.     Doctrines 
and  ordinances  that  had  become  well-nifjh  obsolete  and  indeed 
difficult  to  understand  were  (|uickened  by  the  interpretative 
imagination  of  this  new  cult  of  Catholic  Anjilicans. 

The  principal  outlines  of  their  propajranda  have  long  been 
familiar,  and  althonjih  its  le>ritimacy  has  been  seriously 
questioned,  those  who  write  to  prove  that  the  Oxford  Move- 
ment did  not  confer  lasting  blessings  upon  the  Church  as  a 
whole  waste  their  own  time  and  that  of  their  readers.  Yet 
at  its  worst  it  has  been  a  source  of  strife  anil  schism  rather 
tlian  .  J  peace  and  unity  among  believers  in  one  Lord  and  one 
(Jospel.  Its  advocates  were  prone  to  set  asi<le  things  evi- 
<lenced  in  behalf  of  things  assumed.  Their  habit  of  ignoring 
realities  which  refused  to  be  acconunodated  to  their  peculiar 
theories,  and  of  wrongly  distributing  cause  and  effect,  nar- 
rowed their  outlook,  confused  their  judgments,  and  cheap- 
ened their  estimates.  However,  the  one  important  matter 
about  the  sun  is  not  its  spots,  but  its  light  and  heat,  and 
although  there  were  extensive  discolorations  and  false  .ip- 
pearances  in  the  radiance  which  arose  at  Oxford  during  the 


m  I 


J(J1IN    IIENUV    NKWMAN 


391 


last  rciitviry,  at  least  it  clisfR'Hctl  the  iiidiilVreiice  and  doubt 
which  had  hitlierto  thwarted  tiie  profjress  of  tlie  Establishetl 
(^hurch. 

Tile  type  of  Anj,'lieaiiisiii  to  whicli  K'ehie  and  Fronde,  and, 
throufjli  tlieni,  Newman  l)eIonj;ed  was  not  eoinnion  either 
ainonji  the  clerfiy  or  tlie  hiity.  It  orijjinated,  not  only  from 
tlie  days  of  Laud  and  the  Neoplatonists,  hut  also  from  the 
teachings  of  the  Latin  Katliers,  and  from  the  traditions  of 
medieval  Christianity  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries. 
The  (Irjioxifuni.  fidri  of  these  periods,  tliou^h  fre(iuently 
nej;lected,  was  always  latent  in  Anf;licanisui ;  w  hen  j;iven 
an  opportunity  l>y  the  failure  of  Calvinistic  Evan>;eli- 
calisin,  and  stimulated  hy  a  series  of  jxilitieal  ajj;itations,  it 
suddenly  sjirans;  into  prominence,  >liowed  an  unexpected 
vitality,  and  assailed  s'.me  time-honored  theories  which  had 
hitherto  contained  the  substance  of  loyal  churchmansliip. 

Hut  while  what  may  be  called  the  historic  leaven  of  Trac- 
tarianism  '  existed  lon>;  prior  to  its  eincrp'iicc,  its  charac- 
teristic forms  and  tendencies  were  determined  by  the  local 
atmosphere  and  by  current  e\'ents.  It  is  therefore  necessary 
to  ascertam  as  fully  as  may  be  possible  its  direct  and  indirect 
causes,  the  motives  which  governed  its  initiators,  their  rela- 
tive importance,  their  particular  efforts,  their  relations  with 
other  clerical  parties,  their  ])olitical,  social.  i)hilo>ophical, 
and  religious  en\  ironments,  and  the  sum  total  of  these  \  arious 
factors.  Some  such  ct>m|)rehensive  sur\ey.  which  seeks  to 
examine  and  combine  into  coherent  unity  a  i;reat  variety  of 
elements,  many  of  which  are  ostensiblv  unrelated,  is  never 
more  recpiisite  than  when  dealint;  with  the  operations  of  the 
human  mind  in  the  realm  of  rclij^ions  speculation.  For  no- 
where else  does  the  blended  life  of  thouj,dit  and  action  beconn 
so  subtle  and  intricate,  or  spread  its  routs  oxer  such  widel\ 
separated  areas.     It  draws  its  sustenaiue  from  >our<es  which 

'  ChristopluT  Mimisdii  ilT'.W  IsCsi.  (Virion  i.f  Unrc.-.|,M'  Mrnl  Muster  "f 
the  Tciiipk',  :iii  l^vaiint'liial  "f  lln'  rimri'  liln-ral  ~uii.  i>  riiMliiril  willi  tin' 
invention  of  the  n;iine  "'l'r:i<tari;in"  u.-;  :i|)|ilieil  to  .Newnian  ;iiiil  lii.>  col- 
leuKiies. 


392     THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


■*  i; 


^1' 


M; 


1  ! 


19 


betray  no  kinship  among  themselves.  And  even  when  the 
Hnes  of  research  are  extended  beyond  th.  ordinary,  eontrib- 
utory  facts  are  Hkely  to  remain  outside  them.  The  pro- 
posed method  of  investi<;atioii  is  exacting,  and  any  attempt 
to  foMow  it  must  at  best  be  but  approximate.  Yet  it  is  as 
indispensable  ,)r  a  veritable  history  as  for  a  judicial  verdict 
upon  its  material,  and  should  lead  to  that  last  and  best 
result  —  a  sympathetic  knowledge  of  the  whole. 

Nor  can  it  be  forgotten  that  beyond  and  far  above  the 
assertions  and  disputes  which  confront  us  at  every  turn  is  a 
ceaseless  moral  force,  a  divine  tribunal,  which  regulates 
their  claims,  and  admits  or  rejects  their  pleas,  so  that  any 
effort  to  find  the  exact  points  of  continuity  between  past  and 
present  Anglicanism,  to  coinicct  its  apparently  isolated  eras, 
and  rightly  present  their  meanings,  should  be  reverent  in 
spirit  as  well  as  catholic  in  purpose. 

I 

During  the  opening  decades  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
Europe  was  absorbed  in  the  dramatic  and  overwhelming 
career  of  Xapoleon  the  (Ireat.  I  lis  name  was  on  every  tongue, 
the  menace  of  his  measures  in  peace  or  war  disturbed  every 
heart.  (Ireat  Britain's  integrity  was  at  stake;  even  the 
destruction  of  her  commerce  and  the  capture  of  her  out- 
lying pro\  inces  and  dependencies  were  contingencies  entirely 
overshado\ve('  by  the  threatened  invasion  of  the  Homeland 
it>clf.  The  energies  of  the  nation  were  monopolized  by  the 
political  dangers  of  a  ravaging  time.  There  was  neither 
opening  nor  inclination  for  matters  of  less  immediate  con- 
cern ;  these,  however  imperative  in  themselves,  were  post- 
poned to  a  more  convenient  season.  What  vitality  the 
(  luirch  possessed  spent  itself  in  subservience  to  the  antag- 
onism.s  of  theological  ami  political  partisanship,  or  in  de- 
nouncing the  tenets  inculcated  by  the  Revolutionists  of 
France.     The  ideas  mediated  thnnigh  \'oltaire,  Rousseau, 


il'< 


li 


»  '  ! 


m 


JOHN    HKNRY   NKWMAN 


393 


Diderot,  and  other  savants  and  philosophers  to  n.en  of  fearful 
and  decisive  action,  siuh  as  Mirabeau,  Barnave,  Danton, 
Desmoulins,  and  the  Terrorists,  were  originally  adopted 
from  English  history,  political  phiiosoi)hy,  and  romance. 
For  enlightened  Frenchmen  England  hecame  the  dream- 
Ian'  of  freedom  of  conscience,  and  those  who  knew  her 
language  of  liberty  began  to  evince  an  independence  of 
thought  which  foreboded  the  hurricane  that  followed.  But 
although  the  aiuemic  organism  of  France  had  been  flooded 
with  life  by  Scotch  and  English  thinkers  and  economists,  the 
vast  majority  of  sober  if  shortsighted  Britons  heeded  Burke's 
iragnificent  warnings,  and  refused  to  have  any  dealings  with 
a  regeneration  disfigured  by  prodigious  cruelties  and  excesses. 
Even  those  who  regarded  with  a  measure  of  aj)proval  the 
doctrines  of  liberty,  eciuality,  and  fraternity  deferred  their 
consideration.  A  strong  reactionary  temper  pervaded  society 
and  nullified  the  demand  for  domestic  reforms. 

The  Crown  had  been  subjected  to  repeated  humiliations 
by  the  intellectual,  and  still  more  the  moral  frailty  of  succes- 
sive monarchs.  Aristocratic  circles  dictated  the  wobbling 
experimem  f  a  Crovt-rnment  incapable  of  self-improvement 
and  withoui  that  stej'dfast  support  which  a  policy  of  justice 
toward  the  opj)ressed  might  have  obtained.  The  narrow 
and  despotic  caliber  of  such  publicists  as  Sidmouth.  Castle- 
reagh,  Fh.an,  and  Liverpool  displayed  a  skill  that  wore  many 
of  the  „  peets  of  intrigue  against  the  popular  welfare  and 
defeated  every  proposition  in  its  behalf.  Even  more  enlight- 
ened statesmen,  including  Tieniey,  Brougham,  and  .Mackin- 
tosh, who  urged  legal  propriety  in  the  numerous  trials  for 
sedition  and  treason,  and  less  drastic  punishment  for  lawless 
outbreaks,  were  prompt  to  disclaim  any  relation  with  the 
deluded  Radicals.  The  gross  and  open  corruption  of  an 
extremely  limited  franchise  by  noble  a.id  wealthy  families ; 
the  politic-al  and  religious  disabilities  to  which  large  and  grow- 
ing towns  and  cities  were  subjected,  while  insignificant  and 
ill  some  instances  nearly  extinct  constituenci<-s  were  over- 


I- 


ili 


3i>4      TllltKK    l{KLUil()i;s    LKaOKUS   ok    OXKOIII) 


■  J 


rep  tcti  in   l';irliiiiiicMt,  aroused  tlic  wratli  of  industrial 

magnates  wlio  owed  tlicir  positions  to  tlit-ir  own  cntorprisc 
and  tlit'ir  exploitation  of  lal)or.  \Vlii<;s  and  Tories  were  more 
at  variance  with  the  nia>ses  than  with  each  otlier.  Xor 
wonld  this  conii)ositc  and  depressing'  pictun-  of  tlie  aristoe- 
rac\ ,  tin-  landowners,  and  the  niercliants  he  complete  with- 
out a  reference  to  the  official  nepotists  and  plaee-huiitcrs 
wiio 

"  Iwcli-like,  to  their  faintin;;  <'<)iintry  '  clung,'  " 

iieartily  despisiiifj;  the  proletariat  atid  defeiidin}^  the  minis- 
ters wiio  rewarded  them  witii  j<)l)s,  titles,  and  ()ensi()iis. 

Tile  universities  and  the  puhlic  schools  wiiich  fed  them  liad 
too  often  fostered  oliscurantism  in  ])referenee  to  lij;lit  and 
freedom.  Ivellcctini;,  as  they  did.  stolid  prejudices  and  cus- 
toms, they  l)eeame  the  haunts  of  ultra-conservatism  rather 
than  dispensaries  of  knowledj;e  at  any  risk,  eneourafjin^  that 
love  of  truth  "for  whicli  youth  is  the  inevitable  season."  At 
Oxford,  as  nowhere  else,  were  to  he  found  the  last  ponderous 
links  (tf  the  shattered  chains  of  feudalism,  ehafinf;  her  temper 
and  hampering;  her  advance.  The  scrutiny  of  spiritual  or 
secular  authority  at  once  otfended  her  well-drilled  instincts. 
Tastes  and  hahits  inherited  and  inborn,  arisinjj  from  the 
depths  of  her  immemorial  past,  protested  a{;ainst  thauf^e 
of  an.v  kind. 

At  this  critical  juncture  the  bishops  and  heads  of  eoUejies 
were  found  in  alliance  with  other  stal)Ie  elements  of  polite 
society  ajjainst  that  jiainful  revulsion  to  actual  life  which 
sharjjly  disturbed  tiicir  stock  notions  and  comfortable  exist- 
ence. So  lon^'  as  the  dread  of  Napoleon's  liej;emony  lasted, 
revolt  afiainst  them  and  against  governmental  control  by 
the  landed  proprii'tors,  altliou};h  incipient,  was  held  in  check. 
Once  released,  it  bc<ame  aggressively  persistent;  allefjiaiice 
to  the  monarchy  \  isibiy  declined,  the  prescriptive  rij;hts  of 
prelates  and  peers  wt're  rudely  assailed,  and  aequioseence  in 
the  rule  of  cxistini;  hierarchies  of  (Miurch  and  State  was  with- 


JOHN    HKXHY    XKWMAN 


395 


drawn.  From  1S12  to  is:'>l*  tlic^f  privilcj^cd  onlors  were 
mad*'  tlie  ohjeits  of  jjopiiliir  attack.  'I'lu-  IcadiTs  of  tlic 
onslauglit  rcpri'sfiitt'd  urarly  I'vcry  rank  and  coiiditiori  of 
society,  and  tliosc  who  made  it  ctVccti\('  were  men  of  liirtli 
and  hrccdinj;.  Hut  its  undcrlyiiij;  causes  existed  in  the 
general  discontent,  wretcheihiess,  and  poverty. 

Artisans  and  peasants,  cmslied  l)y  tiie  l)nrden  of  tlie 
larjjest  deht  ever  yet  incurred  hy  any  nation,  were  not  al- 
lowed to  participate  in  puhhc  affairs.  Tlie  destitution  which 
crowded  on  the  heels  of  an  artificial  prosperity,  due  to  war 
tariffs  anil  inflated  prices,  led  to  misery  and  disaffection 
anionj;  the  |)oor.  For  the  time,  lal)or-sa\  ini:  machinery, 
which  eventually  j^ave  Kn^dand  her  commercial  suprenuuy, 
hore  hard  on  the  hand-craftsmen.  .\jj:riculturc  was  pros- 
trated, farms  went  out  of  cultivation,  half  the  inliaMtants  of 
many  rural  parishes  wtTc  reduced  to  l)e;;s;ary,  and  the  price 
of  iron,  the  staple  pnnhict  in  maiuifactures,  fell  fifty  per 
cent.  As  a  conse(iuence  bread  riots  were  frecpient,  ami  hail 
to  he  rejjressed  hy  the  use  of  the  militarx  arm. 

This  widespread  distress  was  not  onl>  accentuated  hy  the 
selfishness  and  incapacity  of  the  (iovcniment,  hut  exajriier- 
ated  hy  the  fiery  haran^'ues  of  |)atriots  and  ileinajjo^ues. 
Amou}!  the  exponents  of  a  larf:cr  freediun  wlio>e  moti\cs  were 
sincere,  William  ("ohhett  was  remarkahle,  rather  for  his  eni- 
hodiment  of  the  hi)|)es  and  fears  of  the  yeomanry  than  for  any 
consistent  scheme  of  reform.  .\ma/inf;  as  were  his  extra-. - 
ajj:ances,  his  exhaustless  stori-  of  passionate  and  picturesipie 
rhetoric,  racy  of  the  soil,  enaliled  him  to  wield  such  an  ex- 
tensive .sway  that  Ila/litt  declared  he  formed  a  Fourth 
Kstate  in  himself.  The  violence  of  pamphleteers  and  or.itor> 
like  Ilohhouse  and  Hunt,  and  the  satirical  and  denun  latory 
poetry  of  Byron  and  Shelley,  excited  puhlic  indi;,'nation  until 
it  hecame  permanent  and  danpTous. 

.Such  a  lamental>le  -tatc  of  affairs  \va>  further  agj;ravated 
hy  the  eternal  prohlem  of  Ireland,  where  those  outside  the 
pale  of  lister  looked  upon  thoM-  within  it  a-~  occupants  of  a 


t 

i 

II 


n  . 

I: 


f  ■ 


i        K 


III 


t   I 


;i 


iil 


11  :■ 


39G     TIIUKK    JtKLIOIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 

stolfii  territory.  The  liistory  of  the  sister  ishmd  pronounced 
judgment  upon  Kn>;hslnnen  as  stronj;,  resoureeful,  hut  un- 
scrupulous rulers.  The  \vron^;s  inflicted  upon  l{oniun 
Catholic  natives  because  of  their  ancestral  faith  were  kept 
alive  hy  vivid  recollection  and  frequent  re(  urrence.  The 
name  and  fellowship  of  Hritons  were  abominated.  The 
news  of  their  supremacy  at  home  or  abroad  was  heard  with 
h)athinf;,  the  anticipation  of  their  defeat  I'vrtured  as  the 
best  of  consolations.'  These  woes  at  last  found  a  trumpet 
voice  in  Daniel  O'Connell,  whose  pleadinj?  for  the  pnnul- 
ment  of  the  penal  law>  aj;ainst  their  religion  entranced  his 
countrymen.  I  lis  arraij;nments  of  this  bijjoted  discrimina- 
tion marked  the  turning  of  the  tide  of  Toryism,  which  at 
last  had  overreaciied  itself  and,  despite  the  unicjue  influence 
of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  then  the  "f<»remost  captain  of 
his  time,"  began  to  run  swiftly  in  the  opjiosite  direction. 

The  Dissenters  now  rallied  their  forces  for  the  total  repeal 
of  the  Corporation  Act  an<l  the  Test  Act.-  Among  other 
persons  of  consecpience  the  Duke  of  Sussex,  Lord  Holland, 
ami  Lord  John  Uussell  came  to  their  aid,  and  insisted  upcm 
a  complete  restoration  of  the  civil  and  religious  rights  of 
three  million  subjects  who  belonge<l  to  Nonconformist 
churches.  These  .\cts  were  an  evil  legacy  from  the  reign  of 
("harles  IL  and  the  (juestion  of  their  repeal  had  been  shirked 
from  17!M)  until  1S2S.  In  operation  they  had  gradually  sunk 
beneath  the  level  of  contempt,  and  were  denounced  for  inject- 
ing the  venom  of  theological  quarrels  into  political  discussion, 
and  profaning  religion  with  the  vices  of  worldly  ambition, 
thus  making  it  both  hateful  to  man  and  ofTensive  to  God. 
Lord  KIdon  predicted  that  their  removal  from  the  statute- 

'  \V.  .'*.  Lilly  :  "rh-.iriicfpri.stics  from  the  WritiiiKs  of  .John  Hriiry  New- 
niiin"  :   |;p.  l."is  !.">!•. 

•  The  Test  Act  cDiiiiiclli'il  all  persons  holdiiic  office  of  profit  or  trust  under 
the  Crown  to  tiike  the  o:ith  of  allegiance,  to  receive  the  Sacrament  of  tlio 
Loril's  Supper  acconlinn  to  the  riles  of  the  ( 'hiirch  of  Kn^land,  an<i  to  suli- 
scrihe  to  the  ileclaraliun  auainst  Transiilistantiation.  The  Corporation 
.\ct.  of  like  import,  militated  against  the  ascendency  of  Nonronformist.s 
in  cities  and  towns. 


JOHN    IIKNUY    \KVVMAN 


397 


book,  which  took  i)la(r  in  ISJIi,  would  siH'cdily  he  followed 
l)y  u  Catholic  Kniaiicipatioii  Hill.  Tlic  event  justified  his 
forecast ;  O'Conneii's  election  to  Tarliainent  in  the  same  year 
raised  the  (luestion  in  such  an  acute  form  that  Wellington 
and  Peel  found  themselves  powerless  to  quell  the  agitation 
which  ensue.:,  and  on  April  13,  1829,  that  measure  became 
law. 

The  long-delayed  al)olition  of  these  anomalies  was  only  the 
prelude  for  an  extension  of  the  electoral  franchise  obtained 
three  years  later  under  Lord  (Jrey's  prcmiershii).  '^'•'^ 
Tories  realigned  their  shattered  ranks  to  sa\e  the  constitu- 
tion,  as  they  dechircd,  from  the  invasions  of  an  insolent 
rabble  bent  on  destroying  the  Trown,  the  Cluirch,  the  landed 
system,  and  whatever  else  made  Kiigland  truly  great.  The 
nobles  were  impervious  to  social  pressure ;  the  isolation  im- 
posed upon  them  by  their  position  made  them  contemi>- 
tuous  of  changes  Hear  at  hand ;  changes  they  could  not 
prevent,  but  which  they  scorned  with  the  fury  of  outraged 
pride  and  injured  self-interest.  Their  wild  prophecies  of 
irremediable  evil  were  groundless.  The  I{eform  Bill  intro- 
duce«l  by  Lord  Grey  contained  nothing  inconsistent  with  the 
principles  or  practices  of  England's  unwritten  constitution, 
or  that  in  any  way  violated  the  precedents  upon  which  it  was 
founded.  Pitt  had  contended  for  the  aristocracy  as  against 
the  usurpations  of  the  personal  rule  of  George  the  Third ; 
Grey  contcndini  for  the  bankers  and  manufacturers  as  against 
the  monopolies  of  the  aristocracy.  The  democracy  which 
had  borne  the  weight  of  the  Napoleonic  wars  lay  outside  the 
range  of  Whig  statesmanship. 

Nothing  was  done  to  remove  the  economic  grievances  from 
which  the  nation  suffered,  and  many  other  notorious  wrongs 
were  left  unredressed.  Yet  the  Bill  encountered  such  deter- 
mine<l  opposition,  prepared  to  go  to  any  length  for  its  defeat, 
that  a  more  comprehensive  enactment  could  not  have  been 
secured  without  incurring  the  risks  of  civil  war.  If  the 
formidable  and  weighty  reasonings  of  Gn-y  iui<l  Russell  could 


f 


.'I'.tS      TIIUKK    KK'.KIKU  S    I.KADKKS   OK   OXFORD 


i  1.1' 


fif-^ 


iiDt  Ih'  rcfiittd,  tlic  Mill  could  ,it  \in>{  l»c  vtitt-d  douii  in  that 
MidakolT  of  'Poni-m,  tlii'  IIoiix'  of  l,<)rd>;  and  voted  down 
it  \va>.  Twciitv  one  lii>iio|>,  ri^i>tcn'(l  tiu'insi-lves  in  tlu" 
total  majority  of  forty-one  aj^ainst  it. 

I'ljon  its  reject  ion  the  i)co|)lc  rose  in  resistless  strenjitli, 
and  converted  drey's  i)rt>posjds  into  law.  Disturbances  at 
Bristol,  Xottiiiirliain,  Deriu,  and  other  iiuhistrial  <vnters 
sliownl  that  no  faction  conid  hold  its  own  against  the  will 
of  an  aronsed  connnonwealtli,  and  afttT  heinj;  presented  to 
tlie  Honsi-  three  times  in  twelve  months,  tiie  Hill  ajjain  passed 
the  ('ominous.  .\  liiindred  and  fifty  thousand  men  met  at 
Binniiijjham.  formerly  the  scene  of  the  depredaticms  of  a 
("hurch  and  Kiiij;  moh  wliich  destroyed  Dr.  IViestley's  house, 
and  petitioned  William  I\'  to  create  as  many  new  peers  as 
ininlit  he  necessary  to  ensure  the  success  of  the  measure. 
It  was  no  lonjier  a  ((ucstion  of  what  the  Lords  would  do  with 
the  Hill,  I)Mt  of  what  the  country  would  do  with  the  Lords. 
At  the  final  moment,  and  just  in  tune  to  prolong;  the  Hanove- 
rian dynasty  f((r  happier  days,  the  Kini,'  yieldi-d,  the  Hill 
j)assed  hoth  Houses,  and  received  the  royal  assent.  The 
peers,  who  had  withdrawn  tlieir  oi)position,  skulked  in  clubs 
and  coimtry  mansions,  careless  to  dissemble  their  chagrin. 

Although  this  broadening  of  the  suffrage  was  too  restricted 
to  accomplish  an\  immi-diate  re\()lutionary  changes,  it 
renewed  the  youth  of  Kngland  without  forfeiting  the  ad- 
vantages of  her  rich  experience.  It  battered  down  some 
strongholds  of  privilege,  released  a  forward  inij  ilse  for  the 
causes  of  religious  and  ci\  il  equity,  preserved  the  realm  from 
internecine  strife,  and  placed  its  government  on  a  surer  basis 
of  confidence  and  gooil  will.  Boundaries  were  prescribed 
for  the  haughty  claims  of  a  hereditary  peerage,  and  the  en- 
croachments of  a  self-perpetuating  oligarchy  received  a 
decided  reptilse.  Best  of  all,  and  most  conducive  to  the 
welfaie  of  the  nation,  Lord  drey's  victory  animated  the 
public  iiiinii  with  a  sjjirit  of  courage,  patience,  and  generous 
enthusiasm.     It  enabled  men  to  bide  their  time  and  devote 


JOHN    IIKNUY    NKW.MAN 


399 


tlu-mst-lvcs  afri'sli  to  tlu-  jiisticf  mid  frmlom  for  which  tlu- 
Bill  of  m2  supplit'<l  a  iinvcl.-iit.  Hope  nitluT  than  rcali- 
zatioii  inspired  the  ri-joiiinKs  which  cvcr\  wlicr«>  i)rc\ailcd 
Nor  was  that  hoiu-  to  he  made  ashamed.  It  found  its 
fruition  in  an  orderly  and  lawfnl  (hvih.pmcnt  of  i)opiiIar 
<'ontrol  under  which  Britain  has  hecome  tlie  nioth.T  and  the 
maker  of  States,  and  which  lias  furnisheil  tlie  model  for 
similar  constitutional  efforts. 


ir 

The  political  and  social  conditions  wliich  ^^ive  birth  to  those 
events  that  precipitated  the  Oxfor.l  Movement  were  naturailv 
followed  hy  a  revival  of  philosoi)hical  speculation,  whic'h 
raised  new  issues  for  theolo-y  and  controv<rted  current 
orthcMloxy  with  unwonted  boldness.  Ucdcctive  minds. 
frewi  from  the  distractions  due  to  international  difRcuIties, 
reverted  to  the  more  con^'cnial  pursuits  of  intellectual  and' 
ethical  inquiry.  "The  several  reli-ious  parties,  diseuK'aKed 
from  their  civic  canipaijin,  were  sent  home  to  their  spiritual 
husbandry,  and  thrown  ui)on  their  intrinsic  resources  of 
genius  and  character.  The  time,  cmt  so  critical  for  Church 
and  doctrine,  had  come  at  last,  —  the  time  of  searching 
thought  ami  quiet  work.  Other  charity  than  would  sor\e 
upon  the  hustings,  -  a  deeper  gospel  than  was  known  at 
apocalyptic  tea  tables,  —  a  piety  stimulant  of  no  platform 
cheers,  became  indispensable  in  evidence  and  expression  of 
the  Christian  life."  ' 

Among  the  currents  of  reforming  thought  which  flowed 
into  the  stream  of  nineteenth  century  philosophv  the  first 
m  order,  though  not  in  merit,  was  the  ethical  s.vstem  of  the 
Benthamites,  known  as  rtilitarianisni.  Xo  (jivination  of 
impending  changes  which  arose  on  the  ruins  of  the  Xapoleonic 
regime  was  more  keen  and  resolute  than  that  of  these  thinkers, 
who  followed  in  the  wake  of  Locke's  seventeenth  century 
'James  MartineiiU :   "Essays,  Reviews,  and  Addresses";    Vol.  I,  p.  J22. 


■■,r 


4(Mt      TIIUKK    ItKLKllOI  s    I.K\I)K,|{S   OF   OXFORD 


'  .    i 


i    ; 


\  ■>■ 


tiiipirici^iii,  tiiiil  alx)  nprtMiiucil  the  strctinth  and  the  weak- 
ness (if  cijilitrciitli  ((ntiiry  |>liili»s()|)li\ .  In  tlic  midst  of 
iiitfllcctnid  iiiid  xicial  lnl^('-^t,  ot'  doiiht,  ]M'r|)lc\ity,  and 
lu'sitiition.  tlu'  writing-  ••!'  the  Hciitliiiinitts  wcrfdistiii^ciiislitil 
fur  their  eoni  iicunien,  fearlessness,  dogmatic  assnranee,  and 
for  a  fastidious  iiite>;rity  wliicli  pive  tluni  a  wide  popularity. 
Tiiey  were  not  <(il!eitions  of  desultory  remarks,  hut  orderly 
and  artieniutnl  di>enssions  of  aiisorhinj;  themes  which  per- 
mitted no  deviation.  Tiieir  liejjinninjis  had  reference  to 
tiieir  conelnsions,  and  almost  e\try  part  luul  stmie  relation, 
and  freciuently  a  « lose  one,  to  other  parts 

■lerem.x  Hentliam  eoneentrated  his  attention  on  jurispru- 
dence, James  Mill  on  psycholojjy,  and  .lohn  Stuart  Mill  ex- 
pounded a  new  political  economy.  Altiioujih  the  subjects 
with  which  tiiey  dealt  were  too  full  of  the  contentions 
hrou^lht  ahoiit  hy  the  jjrowtli  of  knowledge  for  their  works 
to  hecome  permanent  authorities,  nevertheless  they  were 
erudite,  tlioroiif;ii,  far-reaeiiinj; ;  notable  for  skillful  capacit.v 
and  lii^di  aims.  The  writers  were  principally  concerned  to 
discover  the  meaninj;  and  ohlijjation  of  the  moral  ciMle  under 
which  men  lived.  Finding:,  as  they  contended,  nothin>j  save 
contradictions,  they  n-solved  to  hejiin  ile  nom.  Their  un- 
flinchinfi  application  of  reason  to  moral  phenomena  led  them 
to  a  complete  at)an(lonment  of  prevailiu}!;  ethical  cree<ls. 
Thus  deprived  of  any  assistance  from  the  past,  they  fixe<l  at- 
tention on  man  himself  as  the  one  indispen.sahle  realit.v. 

I'tilitarianism  defined  matter  as  "the  permanent  possibil- 
ity of  sensation,"  and  mind  as  "the  pennanent  possibility 
of  feeliiifj  "  Experience  was  the  .sole  source  of  knowle<lge, 
and  the  mind  derived  its  entire  fund  of  materials  through  the 
senses,  a  priori  and  intuitive  elements  of  every  kind  being 
rejected.  The  so-called  primary  truths  or  innate  ideas 
were  only  habits  of  the  mind  which  time  and  repetition  had 
renilered  irresistible.  Tlie  mind,  the  Benthamites  averred, 
contributed  nothing  of  itself  to  the  structure  of  knowledge. 
John  Stuart  Mill  went  so  far  as  to  deny  the  principle  of  con- 


JOHN    IIKNItY    NKWMAN 


401 


tradictioii,  aiul  dt'clarcil  that  wf  were  lait  fvni  sure  that  wi- 
wen-  not  >iirc.  Wmii  lliiiiu'  ((mccihd  tlir  iu((»ary  trutli 
«»f  tlif  axiiuns  of  Kiiclid,  Mill  nlicllcil  a^jaiii-t  thr  i  iiiici-^^iiin, 
and  iirp'il  that  "thrn-miKht  lie  aimthir  world  in  wliirh  two 
and  two  make  five."  "My  tniiid  i^  l>iit  a  xrics  of  fccliii;;^," 
lif  n-inarkt'd,  "a  thread  of  coiiMioii-iK--^,  ho\vt\rr  ^upplf- 
tiifiitfd  l»y  the  liilicvfd  po-sihilitit  >  <if  coiim  iuii>iu>s,  svliicli 
arc  not,  thoii^'h  they  inijrht  ]»•  nalizt-d," 

Altiioiitih  Mill  di■^lik(•d  the  iiifi  n  lice,  and  tried  to  cMaiu' 
it,  tluM-  vii'ws  were  clo^ly  alliliatcd  witli  ncco^itariaiii^iii. 
"An  act  of  will,"  (niotin^;  from  hi~i  own  word-,  "is  a  iimral 
»'frcct  which  follows  the  corrtsijondin;;  moral  causes  as  cer- 
tainly and  invarialily  as  i)hysieal  etlVcts  follow  their  |)hysical 
caiiM's."  This  and  similar  statements  which  dealt  with  the 
snhtleties  of  human  nature  lacked  Mill's  customary  clearness 
and  accuraiy.  Their  looseiies-  and  (()Mrii>ion  ha\f  since 
l)een  remarked  In  more  critical  j)hiloso|)hcrs,  to  whom  it  was 
nhvioiis  that  they  aimed  a  mortal  i)low  at  ethical  freedom, 
and  anmilled  that  j)ersonal  responsihility  which  is  the  source 
of  moral  character. 

The  attack  on  the  iiitej,'rity  and  reality  cf  mind  as  the  nexus 
of  personality  and  on  tiie  will  as  the  decisive  factor  in  con- 
duet  has  now  spent  its  force.  It  endeavored  to  uialermine 
the  oidy  intellij;ent  basis  for  experience,  nolwithstandinj; 
that  on  experience  the  I'tilitarians  rested  iheir  whole  case. 
I'Vom  it  alone  they  sought  to  derive  the  laws  which  p)vern 
mental  and  moral  life,  hut  they  t;ave  no  satisfactory  explana- 
tion of  the  unity  of  consciousnes-s  which  is  presupposed  in 
every  form  of  intellectual  activity,  .\part  from  that  unity, 
such  self-evident  functions  of  mind  as  discrimination  and 
comhination  are  altoj;ctlier  impo^^ihle.  The  mind  itself, 
reduced  to  a  mere  seric-  of  feelin^;s,  is  destroyed  as  a  real 
ajieiit.  .\nd  in  lii>  o-cillatious  hetwccn  iilealism  and  mate- 
rialism. Mill  was  frccpicntly  compelled  to  recoj;nize  personal- 
ity, the  (•xistence  of  which  he  sou>;ht  to  disi)rove. , 

The  assertion  that  individual  and  universal  iuippiness 
2n 


I- 


i    M 


V* 


!  ,1 


"f  I 


i'l 


402     TIIUKK    RKIJdlOlS   LKADKKH  OF  OXFORD 

ncconliiiK  to  rciiioii  \v:>>  tlu-  most  (Icsirahle  t>iul,  was  a 
fiirtlirr  iiml  inciiniliU'  lUUrt  in  rtilitariiuiistn  ami  ulso 
a  virtual  itnprarliiiHiit  of  its  ciitirf  tliital  position.  Tin* 
(liialitativf  (li-tiintinn  iKtwicn  one  form  of  liap|»iiit'ss  and 
aiiotlur  ri(|iiirt(l  a  iiinnii  mum-  to  ilisctrii  it.  For  Hi'iitliam 
pu>li-|»iii  \va^  as  ^utMl  a>  puttry  provided  it  affordfd  equal 
plrasun.  Mill  >liit  d  at  tlii^  ludic  roii>  dtdiictioii,  and  avt-rred 
tiiat  it  was  Ixttir  to  lie  Soi  rato  di'>>ati^(ied  tliau  u  fool  satis- 
fied. Many  eritio  heartily  e<lioed  Mill's  plea,  hut  he  eouhl 
not  ur^'e  it  and  remain  eon--i>tent.  Mis  ohservation  dis- 
placed plea>ure  as  the  standard  and  K'oal  in  itself.  Carlyle 
chuekled  over  tiie  laineno^  of  Mill's  loj;ic  in  tin-  statement 
that  each  perMin'-.  liai»pine>-.  \va>  a  p)od  to  that  person,  and 
therefore  tiu'  pmral  liappine^>  a  ^hmI  to  the  a^^r^'P'te  of 
jMTsons.  Kve"  later  I'tilitariaiis,  without  any  admiration 
ft>r  the  Sap'  of  CIicImm'^  ■^olnewhat  imcouth  retort,  have  felt 
equally  impatient  with  naMinin^^  that  entailed  such  a 
sordid  and  unlovely  \  iew  of  liuimui  nature. 

A  theory  which  denied  the  existence  of  n  priori  ideas  and 
the  trustworthino-  of  the  moral  m  n~c  iu'ce>saril}  uhliterated 
the  fundanientiil  distinction  lutwecii  ri^nt  and  wron^;,  and 
ended  hy  enthroniiif:  -ncial  utility,  with  personal  happiness 
for  its  inspiring'  iiioti\c,  as  tin  paramount  law  of  conduct. 
The  hases  of  faith  were  thu^  suept  away,  and  conscience 
was  merp'd  into  cnliijiitiii.  ;  self-interest,  the  prevalence  of 
which  would  |ire.->cntl  di  nonstr.ite  that  Christianity  was 
superfluous. 

In  rehuttai,  it  lia-  >«  en  sfiown  that  the  true  relation 
between  tlic  imlividiial  and  >oci:d  welfare  is  not  sentimental 
hut  rational  On  t!  •■  ground  that  man  i-^  incapahle  of 
findinj;  con' -iitmri  in  (.'ratified  feeling',  hut  cai)ahle  of  self- 
realization  m  a  coniinoi  ;,'ihhI,  tlic  opixmeiits  of  I'tilitarian- 
ism  were  jn-tificd  in  -ctTinii  side  ary:uments  founde<l  on 
compariM.nxif  |)lea~iire>.  The  .  (uiviction  that  the  emotional 
nature  ])roviiir-  !>>-  irround  of  aiuhoritv  for  moral  conduct, 
and  that  ci'MMKiue  and   rearon  do  tliis,  and  do  it  in  all 


lU 


.I<»||\    IIIAUN     \|;\\M.\\ 


M):i 


rfuliiis,  in\akt'iut|  'riinniii-  Aniolil'-  aiiti|nitliy  to  Hni- 
tluiinisiii  iiiiil  N('\MiiiiriiMii  nlikr  a^  "the  t\M>  ^raml  coiiii- 
tcrffits  f'irp'il  at  the  ii|)|io-.itc  (•\tr(iiir>  nf  error  Tin-  one 
in«'rK«'il  the  <oiis(icinc  in  Mll'-ii,ttTt  »t.  tin'  otiitr  in  |)ri(st- 
craft :  the  one  iilciitifiiil  moral  ami  -mtiiiit  ^oixl,  tlic  other 
separattHi  moral  ami  ^|iiritiial.  iSotli  e\tin^'nislieii  tin- 
projMT  pt-r'^oiialitv  aial  inili\  idiial  ^acrediie^^  of  niaii ;  tlifonc 
treating  him  as  a  thiii^'  to  lie  merhaiiieallv  ^hapeii,  the  other 
a:-  a  thiiin  to  he  mx^tcrion^iv  (onjiireil  with.  In  oppcoitioii 
to  lioth  svstnns,  which  >onj;lit  for  hninan  cnnilin  t  ^ome  txttT- 
iial  unidf.  thr  one  in  xicial  in  ilit,\ ,  the  other  in  i  hnnh  anthor- 
ity,  Arnolil  held  fa^t  to  the  internal  ;,'ui<hinee  which  he 
inaintaineil  (uh\  had  ^'iven  to  all,  and  thronu'li  which  His  Will 
was  practicalije  and  llini-elt'  ac(e->ihlc  to  all."  ' 

The  repellin;;  eti'ect  of  tiie  It  ilitarian  ethic  njion  confident 
ht-lievePs  in  a  1  )i\ine  order,  who  held  with  |>M->ionatf  inten- 
sity dcfii.itc  \  iew>  of  the  cnn>tant  worUin^'^  of  that  order  in 
the  wdrld,  <'an  xancly  lie  ima^'incd  now.  Set  forth,  a>  it 
was,  in  penetrating  wa.\  s,  the  creed  owed  a^  much  to  th«' 
w»'akness  of  it->  aMtaj,'oni>t>  a^  to  ii^  inherent  strenj;th,  and 
released  a  militant  spirit  with  which  the  ('hnrch  >eemed 
iinahle  to  cope.  Knjo\  in^:  nothini;  of  that  nolile  intimacy 
with  the  inner  facts  of  life  which  illuniinates  phihisophical 
speculation,  it>  -tark  individualism  made  a  jxiwcrful  appeal 
to  those  who  deli^thted  in  thinir^  which  p»Ti>h  with  the 
using,  an(i  who  looked  U|Hin  pleasure  a>  the  sole  end  of 
being. 

Yet  on  its  better  side  this  philosophy  rebuked  the  imlifVer- 
enee  of  eliurehnien  and  religionists  to  xuial  disjiarities.  It 
jjave  pause  to  the  cold-lilooded  rapture  witii  which  >ome 
Ev  ingelieals  portrayed  the  doum  of  the  material  universe. 
!t  (.i-ifiinated  and  >et  in  motion  man\  uxful  and  wisely 
considered  refonns,  and  by  its  thoroUi:h','oini;  treatment  of 
personality  it  compelled  tlii'oln;;i.i>is  to  rci'xamine  moral 
and  religious  intuitions,  and  to  seek  less  assail.iblc  ^'rounds 

'  James  Martiiioau  :   ■  Ks.-^ays,  UuviLWi,  aud  .Vajicsscj  "  ;  \  ul.  1.  [>i>.  7J-71, 


Hi    .'1 


J 


c.v-^  fwtJHn™*' 


iTiiit3nrc-:^Rr 


SBLF  JBlCjitT  y? 'V 


I  ! 


iJ 


'    1 1 


404    TiiUKi';  UKMciors  i.kadkus  or  oxKoun 

fur  their  opiiiioiw.  Tlu'v  were  ii  liiioiiislicil  tn  nnicinlKT  tluit 
Cliristiiiiiitv  slidiilil  l)f  rfiis(>iial)lf  ii>  well  as  devout;  sliouM 
iii\  iuonite  the  iiitelli<r<'Mee  a-  well  as  transform  character; 
that  it  should  neither  darUeii  the  coiiseieiice  nor  scandalize 
tlic  mind.  lint  ix'hind  tiie  eil'orts  of  the  Hentliamites  to 
explain  man  lay  that  l)elittlin^'  estimate  of  hmnan  nature 
which  impaired  tiieir  iliscour^e  and  thwarted  tlieir  enter- 
prise>.  Notwith>tandinj;  tiiat  their  economic  teachiuf^s  have 
ixirne  fruit  in  nian\  directions,  their  system  as  a  whole  is  a 
warning;  that  a  suHii'ic'it  doitriiie  of  man's  I'sseiitial  nohility 
must  lie  at  the  foundation  of  an>  speculation  or  action  which 
proposes  the  hettcrment  of  the  race.' 

.Vmoni;  otiur  opponents  to  {{eiithamism,  the  Tractarians 
donned  their  armor  and  entered  i-jvin  a  campaij;n  in  which 
tliey  |)ro\('d,  if  not  in\  ulneralile,  at  anv  rate,  micomi)romis- 
inj:  antaj;oiiist>,  who  neither  ^a\('  nor  asked  for  (piarter. 
\'ct  lolui  Stuart  Mill,  the  latent  oracle  of  rationalistic  inspira- 
tion, had  iinicli  to -ay  for  thcM' determined  ad\t'rsaries.  "He 
used  to  tell  u-,"  remarked  Lord  Morley,  "that  the  Oxford 
'riicoloj^ians  Lad  done  for  Hniiland  somethiufj:  like  what 
(lui/ot.  N'illcmain.  Michelct,  Cousin  ha<l  done  a  little  earlier 
for  I'Vancc  ;  they  had  oi)ened,  hroadened,  deep<'ned  the  issues 
and  nieaninirs  of  l-'uropeau  hi-tor\  ;  tiic.\'  had  reminded  us 
that  history  is  i;uro|)ean,  that  it  is  (juite  unintellif,'il>le  if 
treated  as  merely  local.  Morco\cr,  tliouirht  shouM  rccoj;ni/.e 
tliou;;ht  and  mind  always  welcome  mind  ;  and  the  Oxford 
men  IkkI  at  lea-t  hrouirlit  ar^'ument,  learnin^i,  and  even  phi- 
losojiliy  of  a  sort  to  hear  ni)on  the  narrow  and  frij;id  conven- 
tion>  of  tile  reii,'nini;  >.\-tcm  in  cimrch  and  collciie.  in  pul]>its 
and  i)rofc->>ional  chair-.  They  had  made  the  church  ashamed 
of  the  e\il  of  her  wa\  s,  they  had  determined  that  spirit  of 
iinproxcmcnt  from  within,  whicli,  if  this  sect-ridden  countr\ 
i-  c\cr  rcail>  to  he  tauiiht.  must  jjrocced  pari  /«/.v.v(/  with 
assault  from  without.""  ' 

I'lir-  ;i   linili;!    inMiir.iiii    "f   I '  I  ilil  u  i:iMi-in  -it  llii'  :iiilli'ir'-   Milmiji'  .111 
■CliiiK'-  D.iruii,  ami  iPtI,,.,    |;i,.jli-!i    riii.ik.'r-"  :    i.|..  'H    \'M. 

■-■  "Lifr  ..t  I  ;hi.i-t.,i„.'      \..!    I.  i.|.    ii',.{.  i(,i. 


JOHN    HKNKV    NKWMAN 


4U5 


The  ttliical  spt'culations  fiiuiiKTatfil  were  (iiiickoned  l)y 
the  inHow  of  Teutonic  thoii;;ht,  wlietlier  to  delufje  or  to 
irrijiate,  wliich  lu-j^aii  alumt  tlii>  time  at  tiie  I'liiversities 
of  Oxford  ami  ('aiiil)ri(ij;e.  In  (Jerinany  llnine's  appeal  to 
the  world  of  the  h\ c  senses  had  loiifj  ceased  to  charm  superior 
minds.  A  succession  of  ixiets  and  thinkers  emulated  one 
anotiier  in  hrnshin^  aside  the  sandy  sopiiisuis  of  Locke  ami 
the  conclusions  of  his  school.  They  dcstro\cd  tlie  after- 
math of  t'i<;hteenth  centnr\  dei-.m  wliich  encoura;;ed  the 
notion  of  an  ahsentet'  (iod,  and  they  reiiive--ted  His  creation 
with  spiritual  si<;nificanie  and  sjjlendor.  'ihc  infinite  and 
finite  elements  in  man  and  nature  were  reiterated  l»y  (loethe 
and  Kant,  Hej,'el  and  Lessinj;,  Fichte  and  Schiller.  Meta- 
physics was  reestahlisjieil  upon  an  ampler  hasis,  psytholojiy 
assumed  a  suhordinate  place,  and  the  universe  was  viewed  i)y 
them  as  pnlsatin<;  with  the  mystery  and  majesty  of  endless 
life  and  pur])ose. 

Immanuel  Ivant  continued  the  ai)oloi;etic  of  Hutler  in 
hehalf  of  sui)ernatiiralism,  hut  he  went  far  lie\ond  tiie  Knj;- 
lish  doctor's  l'rol)ahilisni,  and  rejected  the  mischii'vous  idea 
that  the  chief  <'nd  of  reli;;'inn  was  to  promote  morality.  His 
reasoniuf;  demonstrated  that  in  the  M(|uence  such  a  notion 
was  inimical  1.)  relii^iun.  l)i-intercsti'dnes>  was  tlie  essence 
of  virtue;  wherever  ulterior  inoti\t's  prevailed,  ami  however 
derived,  the\'  were  sul)\crsi\('  of  ircnniui'  morality.  The 
scarcely  disjuniscd  Itilitarianism  nf  i'aley,  who  defined  virtue 
as  the  iloin^  of  pxid  to  mankind  in  ol>edicncc  to  tlu'  will  of 
Go<l,  and  for  the  sake  of  everlastini;  hai)piiiess,  made  virtue 
to  si)rinf;  from  self-seekiuL:,  ami  found  its  sanction  in  rewards 
and  punishments.  This  othcr-worhl  sflfi-luiess,  a>  it  has 
heen  jtistly  termed,  was  set  a>idc  hy  the  c  atci;orical  impera- 
tive of  Kant,  wliich  rested  morality  on  duty,  and  defined 
relij;ion  as  the  Ionc  of  i;dodne»  for  its  own  sake,  and  the 
cheerful  acceptance  of  dut\  without  reirard  to  j:ain  or  loss, 
hecause  it  was  the  manife-^tfil  will  of  the  Internal. 

On  thatilav   in  the  vear  when  the  facult\  of  the  Iniversity 


1:1 


406     THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


i  !  • 


.1 


'';  I 


j-t 


'.I 


i  ! 


of  KocnigsbcT);  wont  to  the  town  church  to  worship,  Kant 
paused  at  tlic  entrance  of  the  sacred  edifice  and  returned 
home  to  liis  study,  thus  revealing  liis  attitude  toward  Lu- 
theran tiieology  an<l  diseipHne.  Yet  inadequate  as  his  inter- 
pretation of  relijiion  was  in  the  direction  of  practical  devo- 
tion, it  served  to  vindicate  faitli  on  its  piiilosophieal  side,  and 
to  rescue  it  from  theohlivion  to  which someadvanced  thinkers 
had  consij;ned  h,  transfcrrini;  it  to  an  invit^orating  intellectual 
climate,  in  whicii  evasive  conformity  or  patronizing  superior- 
ity was  no  longer  the  accepted  mark  of  culture. 

Lessing  felt  as  keenly  as  Kant  the  necessity  for  a  rejuve- 
nated ethic  and  religion.  But  realizing  that  he  was  without 
the  cai)acity  to  hring  this  about,  he  invoked  the  advent  of  a 
stronger  thinker.  The  Messiah  of  the  new  era  was  Schleier- 
macher,  with  wliom  Luther's  reform  returne<l  to  its  creative 
princii)le  -  justification  by  the  faith  of  the  heart  —  and 
Protestantism  entered  upon  a  new  phase. 

Ilis  Moravian  antcccdt'uts  endowed  Scideierniacher  with  a 
warm  intense  piety,  not  unduly  dogmatic.  His  i)]iilo.sophical 
caste  was  fashioMcd  ni  the  dialectic  of  Plato  and  Spinoza. 
He  strove  to  reconcile  scnthncnt  and  reason,  au»l  to  find  a 
scientific  theory  for  faith.  His  "Discourses  upon  Religion," 
wiiich  appeared  in  17!Mt,  blended  the  passion  for  religion, 
which  is  in  trutii  a  great  romanticism,  with  the  play  of  a 
marvt'lous  symj)athy,  wiiich,  again,  is  only  another  aspect  of 
imagination.  The  hai)py  alistractions  of  the  scholar  were 
varied  by  the  fervid  as]>iration^  of  the  saint.  His  readers 
felt  tile  emission  froni  his  words  of  something  pure  and  kind- 
ling, whiih  evoked  their  l)ettir  selves.  Those  in  whom  piety 
was  at  odds  with  mental  temperament  and  circumstances 
were  reconciled  by  the  teachings  of  a  prophet  who  couhl  not 
conceixi-  of  religion  t'\cc|)t  in  terms  of  the  subjective  con- 
sciousness and  apart  from  anything  external.  The  <livine 
life  in  man  had  its  residence  in  the  emotions,  a'ld  was  as  care- 
fully separated  from  dogmatic  authority  as  it  was  from  ethical 
precepts.     Lidepeiident,  because  in  itself  supreme,  religion, 


JOHN    HENRY   NEWMAN 


407 


according  to  the  famous  German  preacher  and  theologian, 
was  an  ineffable  comminiion  between  the  heart  and  God.  "  It 
vindicates  for  itself  its  o\\  n  sphere  and  its  own  character  only 
by  abandoning  entirely  the  provinces  of  science  and  practice ; 
and  when  it  has  raised  itself  beside  them,  the  whole  field  is 
for  the  first  time  completely  filled  and  human  nature  per- 
fected. Religion  reveals  itself  as  the  necessary  and  indis- 
pensable third,  as  the  natural  comi)lement  of  knowledge  and 
conduct,  not  inferior  to  them  in  worth  and  dignity."  ' 

The  origin  and  development  of  experiences  must  be  ana- 
lyzed before  reliable  data  could  be  obtained.  Hence  the  proper 
subject  for  religious  inquiry  was  the  mind  engaged  and  ab- 
sorbetl  in  the  knowledge  that  Go<l  is  all  and  in  all.  In  brief, 
the  entire  question  of  the  nature  of  religion  and  its  expression 
was  transferred  from  philosophy  to  psychology,  and  its 
authority  was  found  in  no  creed  nor  volume,  still  less  in  an 
ecclesiastical  organization,  but  in  the  attested  experiences  of 
the  devout.  External  standards  could  not  bind  the  spiritual 
man;  he  judged  all  things;  within  his  breast  and  nowhere 
else,  the  tlivine  law  registered  those  decisions  from  which 
there  was  no  appeal.  Theology,  therefore,  was  not  specula- 
tive but  expressive.  Its  subject  matter  consisted  of  the  facts 
of  Christian  experience,  and  its  function  was  to  formulate 
these  without  reference  to  the  prol)lems  of  metaphysics  or 
the  discoveries  of  physical  science. 

But  while  every  believer's  jjcrsoiial  consciousness  of  sin 
vanquished  and  overcome  by  the  mediation  of  Christ  con- 
stituted for  him  the  ultimate  ground  of  his  confidence,  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  isolate  this  experience  from  that  of 
others  similarly  blessed.  \  nature  steeped  in  the  life  of 
faith  clung  to  the  principle  of  association,  without  which  it 
could  not  reach  its  fullest  possibilities.  Furthermore,  the 
immanence  of  God  in  humanity,  an  idea  fundamental  to 
Schleiermachcr's  entire  system,  was  directly  relateil  to  the 


'  Quoted   h\-   .\rtlmr  C 
Ideas"  ;    pp.  65  et  siq- 


.MoGiffcrt:     "The   Rise  of   Modern   Religious 


i 


M 


\i 


i\ 


1 


..ti9^ 


408      TIIUKK    KKLRilOLS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 


l|i 


i  ! 


rise  iiiui  striu'turi'  of  the  Church  as  its  manifestation. 
On  these  two  iniinovahle  piihirs  he  founded  her  strength  and 
security,  conceiving;  her,  not  as  an  institution,  nor  as  an 
Iiierarchy,  hut  as  tiie  conjirepitioii  of  faithful  souls,  in  whose 
corporate  existence  the  dwellinj:  of  tiie  Divine  Spirit  for- 
bade schisms,  castiii>;  out  tiie  self-will  and  disconls  which 
created  them,  and  fusiiij;  its  members  into  one  living  body 
which  radiated  a  glowing  fellowship  to  every  part. 

This  transfer  of  the  seat  of  religious  authority  to  experi- 
ence, while  still  i)reserviiig  the  place  and  integrity  of  the 
Bible  and  the  Church,  delivered  believers  from  apprehension 
concerning  those  changes  wiiich  attend  expansion  in  knowl- 
edge. The  Church,  steadfast  in  the  spiritual  conscious- 
ness of  her  childreii,  was  under  no  necessity  to  practice 
metluMls  which,  while  they  stifled  ('  )ubt,  faile<l  to  reach  the 
truth.  Iler  path  was  cleared  ol  sai-erdotal  and  credal 
ol)stacles ;  vulnerable  theories  of  IJililical  inerrancy  and 
ecclesiastical  infalliljility,  which  could  not  survive  the  tests 
now  being  brought  to  bear  upon  them,  were  relegated  to  the 
rear.  The  growth  of  (jod's  Kingdom  was  hastened  by  this 
spirit  of  courageous  candor,  which  welcomed  truth  for  its 
own  .sake,  let  it  emai'ite  whence  it  m.ay. 

The  sources  of  .Sctilt>icrma'ber's  views  are  traceable 
to  the  (Ireek  Fatliers  of  second   century,   in  particular 

to  Clement  of  .Viexandrii  IJoth  in  its  positive  and  negative 
elements  Schlciermacher's  mind  was  as  entirely  Hreek  as 
St.  Augustine's  was  entirely  Latin.  The  juristic  theology  of 
the  latter  was  dissolved  under  the  imaginative  mystical 
quality  of  .SchleierinacluT's  conceptions.  He  resented  con- 
crete tilings,  and  preferred  to  think  of  Christianity  as  a  living 
organism  endowed  with  the  potentiality  for  continuotjs 
growth,  lleiicc,  the  content  of  the  spiritual  consciousness 
was  always  being  increased,  and  this  increase  was  the  materia! 
for  a  progressive  as  opj)osed  to  a  static  theology.  The  Augus- 
tiniaii  doctrines  of  total  depravity,  atonement  in  the  terms 
of  sacrificial  Judaism,  and  the  endless  punishment  of  the 


,  Hi    . 


JOHN    UKNkV    NKVVMAN 


4()«) 


iinreKeutTatt',  wore  set  aside  iis  repiijinant  to  Cux]  ami  man. 
The  eoiieeptioii  of  CkkI  as  a  IJeiii^  between  Wlioin  and  His 
ereatiires  yawned  an  inipa>sal)le  ^ulf  was  rejected  as  deroga- 
tory to  the  self-eomnuinieatinn  life  and  love  of  the  Kternui 
Father.  On  the  contrary,  Sehleierniacher  i)roclaimed  an 
illimitable  range  of  possibilities  as  the  eiiief  f«'atnre  of  divine 
and  human  intercourse.  .\nd  although  such  boundlessness 
was  t(Mi  vague  and  shadowy  for  h-ss  refined  and  mystical 
intellects,  or  for  those  which  were  attached  to  dogmatic  and 
symbolic  forms,  it  was  ecpially  true  that  in  recovering  and 
imiplifying  the  idea  of  God  which  had  prevailed  in  the  ancient 
Church,  Schleiermacher  sununoned  the  U-aders  of  his  own 
and  after  times  to  a  fountain  of  suggesti\  eness  which  has 
fertilizwl  many  areas  of  Christian  thought  and  replenishiHl 
the  inspiration  for  Christian  living.' 

To  him  belongs,  therefore,  tlu-  honor  of  giving  a  fresh 
impulse  and  direction  to  metaphysics  and  theology.  He 
showed  that  there  could  be  an  exi)erimental  science  of 
religion,  which  observed,  classified,  and  elucidated  spiritual 
phenomena.  Thus,  in  the  words  of  Sabatier,  to  obtain 
independence  for  religion  and  for  the  sciince  of  religion 
its  uncontesttNl  supremacy  was  the  most  eminent  service 
which  Schleiermacher  rendered  at  once  to  faith  and  i)hilos- 
ophy.  His  interpretations  were  instrumental  in  emphasiz- 
ing much  that  is  highest  and  best  in  the  life  of  the  spirit. 
Directly  or  indirectly,  he  left  a  permanent  impress  on  I'rot- 
estantism,  both  in  Europe  and  .\merica,  and  even  ecclesias- 
tics who  have  refused  to  make  any  terms  with  ModiTuism 
and  for  whom  an  uiuhanging  order  is  the  governing  power  of 
faith,  have  felt  to  some  extent  the  vivifying  touch  of  this 
luminary  of  his  age. 

The  new  blossoming  of  the  Kuropean  mind,  largely  due 
to  the  fundamental  i)rain  work  of  German  metaphysicians 
and    scholars,    began    to    manifest    itself    i^i    science    and 


'  .VloxaiiiiiT    \. 
p.  ;{!»7. 


C.    .Ml.Mi: 


The    (^llltiIluity    of    ( 'hri-^liiiii    TliciiiKlit"  ; 


Ik 


410      TIIHKK    |{KI,l(ilOrs    LKADKUS  OK   OXFOKD 


I. 


I'! 
11 


liiNtory.     Tlu"  imlilication  of  Sir  ("liarlrs  Lydl's  "Principles 
of  (;«-ol()n\  "   lu'raldtd   the  iulvciit  of   Kvolution,  with  its 
imnn'iisf  ranp>  of  hiolo^'ical  facts,  and  canswi  noihing  short 
of  a  panic  in  tliosc  circles  already  gravely  perturbed  by  po- 
litical and  theological  liheralisni.     Its  "  wild  theories  and  pre- 
posterous conchisioMs,"  which  were  more  easiiy  denounctHl 
than   answered,   contravened    the   cosmogonies  of  Genesis, 
and  the  coincidenct-  of  the  apix-arance  of  Lyell's  volume  with 
the  formation  of  the  British  Association  for  the  Advancement 
of  Science  seemed  darkly  ominous  to  the  ortlunlox.     To  make 
matters  worse,  the  l)o(ik  steadily  woir  approval  from  experts 
competent  to  judge,  and  marked  the  beginning  of  a  serious 
attempt  to  arrange  scientific   phenonu-na    in    more  coordi- 
nated forms.      Lyell's  work  and  its  extensive  implications 
altered  the  whole  tone  of  Darwin's  thinking,  who  declared 
that  but  for  the  inspiration  derived  from  Lyell  his  own  con- 
clusions might  never  have  been  obtaiiuMl.     "I  have  long 
wished,"  he  wrote  in  1S4."),  "  not  so  nnich  for '  .>ur  sake  as  for 
my  own  feelings  of  honesty,  to  acknowledge  more  plainly 
than  by  mere  reference  how  much    I   owe  to  you.     Those 
authors  who,  like  you,  educate  people's  minds,  as  well  as 
teach  them  siM'cial  facts,  can  never,  I  should  think,  have  full 
justice  done  to  them  except  by  posterity."     These  inquiries, 
while  possessing  the  ron.antic  interest  attached  to  excursions 
in  hitherto  unknown  fields,  were  also  conspicuous  for  their 
intellectual  impressiveness  and  fidelity  to  detail.     They  were 
vindicate<l  in  a  revolution  foreshadowed  by  Newman  in  his 
"Kssay  on  the  Development  of  Chri.stian  Doctrine,"  and 
which  gave  coherence  and  meaning  to  the  accumulations  of 
natural  knowledge.     The  entire  field  of  human  effort  acquired 
new  promise  and  dignity.     For  although  geology  and  biology 
were  the  cradles  of  the  evolutionary  hypothesis,  its  ramifica- 
tions spread  rapidly  into  many  other  spheres.     Statesmen, 
sociologists,  reformers,  and  theologians  were  inoculated  with 
the  theory  of   progressive  dcvelopnu'ut  and  determiniHl  to 
parallel  its  story  in  nature  with  a  similar  unfolding  in  jwlitics, 


h  \ 


i<  :l   i 


*  ' 


JOHN   HENRY   NEWMAN 


411 


ethics,  and  religion.  In  (lirecting  tlu'  Kuze  of  mankind  toward 
an  ideal  all  the  more  attractive  because  its  frontiers  were  lost 
in  the  radiance  of  a  possible  perfectibilit\ ,  Lyeil  and  Dar- 
win did  the  greatest  service  men  can  render  to  tiicir  fellows. 
They  showe<l  that  creation  and  man  were  not  isolated  units, 
that  the  creature  had  a  j)rinccly  inheritance  from  an  inter- 
minable past,  the  recesses  of  which  were  beyond  discermnent, 
and  its  irrepressible  energies  mobilized  in  himself. 

Thomas  Carlyle,  who,  together  with  Wordsworth,  directe<l 
.some  of  these  conceptions  into  popular  channels,  was  perhaps 
the  most  important  literary  accessory  in  the  rexolt  against  tra- 
dition. While  scornful  of  conventional  o|)itiions,  he  was  at 
heart  hostile  toward  materialism.  As  an  author,  virile,  vehe- 
ment and  iconoclastic  in  temper ;  as  a  tliinkcr,  intuitional  rather 
than  logical,  impatient  with  the  letter  and  mechanism  of  his- 
tory, this  shaggy  Titan,  who  was  so  eager  for  the  realities  and 
forces  underneath  outward  e\('iits,  gave  a  more  cosmopolitan 
range  to  f)nglish  literature.  Carlyle  was  so  constructed  that 
"the  prophet  who  reveals  and  tiie  liero  who  i'cts  could  l)c  his 
only  guides."  lie  stirred  the  lethargy  anil  aroused  tiie  rcseiit- 
nient  of  his  readers  by  iiis  antagonisms  rather  than  by  his 
sympathies.  His  habitual  eccentricities  of  style  and  method, 
and  his  absorption  in  the  liigher  learning  of  thi'  philosophers 
who  resided  between  the  Hhine  and  the  Oder  offended  more 
sedate  and  careful  scholars,  wlio  doubted  tiie  sountlness  of 
many  of  his  conclusions.  Hut  these  shortcomings  and 
prejudices  were  compensated  by  his  reverence  for  ruth,  }iis 
imaginative  grasp  of  facts,  and  his  fascinating  humainess. 
Ilis  superabundant  vitalit\-  and  candor  gave  the  first  clear 
expression  to  the  struggling  heart  of  a  desolate  yet  aspiring 
time,  making  a  clean  i)reast  of  many  repressed  unbeliefs  and 
noble  hatreds.  He  generated  a  tempest  which  swept  away 
some  shams,  whether  in  Church  or  State,  and  cleared  the 
ground  for  affirmative  tiiinkers. 

Yet  so  far  from  being  purely  destructive,  he  was  always 
mindful  of  the  "Everlasting  Yea,"  and  if  he  insjjired  rather 


ill 


412      'I'llHKI';    UKLKilOUS   LKADKUS  (>K  OXFOKl) 


ll 


I    I 


than  illiitniiiatcd,  lie  ctrtiiinly  proviilcil  an  iiiiinoliatf  Umt- 
liold  for  faitli  an  I  loyalty  at  a  niiuncnt  wju-n  some  an(i«-nt 
landmark^  wen-  Ixinj;  rtinovcd.  Tlif  intinito  natiin-  i>f 
fluty  \\a>  tin-  tnkcn  of  flu'  Divirn-  IVrsmcc  which  n«'V«T 
forsook  hitn.  Only  in  snhniission  luforc  that  Prt-st'iur  could 
any  worthy  I'ncdorn  lie  loniid.  'i'hc  hijjInT  self  within  was 
the  one  nu'dinni  uf  contact  w  ith  the  Supreme  Will.  ThroUKh 
obedience  and  reniniciation  tlu-  soul  entered  its  divine  king- 
dom. It  was  ("arlyles  powerful  presentation  of  such  truths 
as  these,  far  more  than  his  \itriolic  olijurpitions  apiinst 
cant  or  the  pretensions  and  (|iiackeries,  real  or  imaginary, 
which  he  detested,  that  fjave  him  a  tremendous  hold  upon 
his  admirers.  They  saw  in  iiim  the  survival  of  a  moral 
code  inherited  from  ;;enerations  of  honest  (Jod-fcarinj; 
ancestors,  at  first  stifli'd  l)y  douht  and  (piestionin>;,  and  then 
nnijotically  (|niekened  an<l  purified  under  the  stress  of 
de»'pened  insij;ht  and  the  sense  of  hij;h  resj)onsihility.  IIow 
mucli  they  owed  to  him  cannot  he  easily  computed,  hut  that 
his  early  writin^fs  may  he  reckoned  anionj;  the  chief  forces 
of  liiieration  working  in  those  years  is  heyond  di.spute. 
"Whilst  the  schools  of  the  Kconoinists  were  laboriously  de- 
molisliiiif;  the  homes  of  prejudice  and  superstition,  Carlyle's 
batterinj;  ram  made  sucii  a  noisy  assault  up(m  them  that 
all  were  boiuid  to  listen."  "  Mis  discordant  summons  to 
sincerity  was  heanl  in  ever\  walk  of  life,  rousing  opposition 
as  well  as  discipleshii),  and  further  disquieting  the  ecclesias- 
tical centers  which  wi-re  already  alarmed  by  what  they 
deemed  the  impious  aberrations  of  the  world. 

Thus  the  period  was  one  of  confusion,  in  which  devout  men 
were  timid,  nervous,  and,  for  the  most  part,  resourceless. 
The  transposition  of  values  had  <lrivcn  Wordsworth  from  his 
earlier  radicalism  into  a  practical  alliance  with  the  Tories. 
The  e\ohition  of  ln>  opinions  was  both  straightforward  and 
intelligible,   but    it   atlected   his  productive    powers,    which 


'  I'.    Warn'   C 

ll'OIltll  (  '('llllllV 


iriii-ii        A    Hisiiiry  nf  tlii'   Kiinlinh  Church  in  the  Nim- 
:    \nl.  I.  p.  ntti. 


•■•tl,(  ! 


JOHN    HKNKY    NKWMAN 


4i:i 


henci'forth  wtTo  iiitcnnittrnt  in  tlicir  cHiisions.  Tin-  social 
unurchies  of  Fraiur  as  rt-pn-sciitfil  liy  tin-  "'IVrmr,  "  aiul 
William  GcMlwin's  "Kiujuiry  ('niKrmiiij;  I'olitical  .Fusti(v,  " 
which  was  cahnly  siilivt-rsivr  of  riiarriaj;i"  itii<i  similar  in- 
stitutions, i-om|H>ll(>(l  Wonlswopth  to  altandon  liis  lilHTalism 
in  In-half  of  tlio  quiet  of  an  ideal  state,  in  whieh  the  Iwinds 
of  domestic  piety  were  stren^fthent'd  l)y  the  contemplation  of 
God  in  nature,  thus  conserving;  the  spirit  of  the  simple 
sticiety  in  which  he  had  been  l)re<l.' 

Beset  on  every  side  by  a  renasci'iit  philos(»phy,  theology, 
science,  and  literature,  churchmen  in  (Jermany  and  France, 
and  later  in  England,  siiw  their  systems  subjected  to  severe 
ordeals;  the  past,  at  the  instigation  of  the  growth  of 
knowledge,  rose  up  to  grap|)le  with  its  own  progenit-s  in  the 
present.  The  heart  of  things  as  they  were  was  ruthlessly 
torn  ojx-n  and  scrutinized.  What  existing  party  <'ould  abide 
the  hour  of  reckoning?  The  polite  and  titled  cliques  which 
loathed  democracy  were  on  the  dcfensi\e.  The  prelates 
and  dignitaries  of  the  Establishment  scented  danger  every- 
where. For  dreamers  and  p«K'ts  the  day  of  I'topia  had 
dawned.  Would  the  Church  herself,  as  the  last  hope,  prove 
equal  to  the  emergency,  or  be  made  a  show  of  in  the  oix'U  as 
natively  incapable  of  readjustment  to  its  netrssities? 


I' 


III 

The  answer  must  be  sought  in  the  condition  of  the  two 
pre(h)minant  parties  into  which  Anglicanism,  speaking 
generally,  was  divided.  These  were  known  respectively  as 
High  and  Low  Churchmen.  The  f(>rmcr  included  non-jurors, 
other  irreconcilables,  and  a  large  proporti(tn  of  the  ortho- 
dox, a  term  applied  to  those  who  acce|)teil  the  Heforma- 
tion  and  the  Prayer  IJook,  and  who,  although  sacramental 
in  theory,  were  content  with  a  minimum  of  ritual  and  observ- 


'" Dictionary  of  National   Hiograpliy "  ;    Vol.  LXIII.  article  on  Words- 
worth. 


i 


414      TIIUKK    UKLKMOUS    LKADEllS  OK   OXFORD 


•  !..! 


aiu-e.  Tlu'  Urn  ('liurclimcn  consisted  «>f  lM)th  KvatiKelicals 
niul  Latitiidiiinriaiis.  Indwl,  at  the  Ix'KiiiiiinR  of  the  nine- 
ttrntli  (H-iitiiry  tlu'st>  terms  were  l<M)s«-ly  nse<l,  and  there  was 
no  very  wide  divergence,  either  in  doctrine  or  practice,  be- 
tween the  two  main  jjnuips  or  their  sulxlivisions.  Alexander 
Knox  ohserved  that  the  old  Hi^h  Church  rai-e  was  fatigued, 
tiie  majority  Ih-Idk  men  of  tlie  world,  if  not  of  yesterday. 
They  boasted  their  direct  succrssion  fr(»m  a  series  of  learned 
divines  lH'j;inniri>,'  with  H(M)ker  and  ending  with  Waterland, 
who  emlxxlied  for  them  the  authentic  and  unchanginR  mind 
of  their  communion.  Passionless,  scholarly,  contemptuous 
of  zeal,  content  to  take  things  as  they  found  them,  they 
coveted  reasonahieiiess  and  repudiated  emotionalism.  Their 
prea<-hing  six-nt  itself  in  a  halancrd  presentation  of  Carolinian 
theology  and  in  a  steady  effort  to  avoid  every  kind  of  ex- 
travagance. 

"The  better  members,"  says  Dean  Church,  "were  highly 
cultivated,  benevolent  men,  intolerant  of  irregularities  both 
of  doctrine  and  life,  whose  lives  were  governe«l  by  an  un- 
ostentatious but  solid  and  unfaltering  piety,  ready  to  burst 
forth,  on  occasion,  into  fervid  devotion."  '  Their  whole- 
some though  restrained  ministry  was  too  frequently  coun- 
teracted by  pluralist  and  fortune-loving  brethren,  many 
of  whom  were  nothing  more  than  country  gentlemen  in 
Holy  Orders  who  used  the  advantages  of  their  calling  for  the 
pursuit  of  personal  interests  and  pleasures.  Thanks  to  the 
regenerating  effects  of  Tractarianism,  this  tyi)e  of  cleric  has 
long  sinw  disapixnired,  and  nothing  more  than  a  misty 
reminisce?ice  of  the  sporting  parson,  or  the  clergyman  who 
hcl<l  his  office  as  a  sort  of  jjcrquisite,  lingers  in  rural  regions. 

Although  their  number  was  far  smaller  than  has  been  com- 
monly supi)()sed,  the  Evangelicals  furnished  the  prevailing 
religious  and  philanthropic  tendencies  of  the  first  generations 
of  the  century.  They  were  related  to  the  Revival  from  which 
they  took  their  name,  with  two  very  marked  ditTerenees; 

'  "The  Uxford  Movouiout"  ;   p.  10. 


.H»IIN    IIKNKV    NKWMAN 


41.-) 


that  tht-y  «iwii«m1  no  ulUKiaiicc  l«.  .Mttli(Mli>in  ns  n  sect,  and 
acirpttMl  tlif  ("alvinisin  of  WhitoHi-M,  Toplaily,  and  Hill  as 
against   tin-   Arniiiiianism   of   \\V>l«-y   iiixl    FK-tcluT.     IIIkIi 
("liiirtlinicn   iu<us«(|   tlicni,   not    witliont    rcii^on,   of   In-inK 
morhitl  im-tists,  wIiom-  jaiiiHlictd  vi>ion  rfpinU'd  an  i-iijoy- 
al)Ii>  world  as  a  dnary  wildrrntss  ovcr^liadovvcd  l»y  iM)|M-nd- 
ing  doom.     'I'liis  antipathy  vas  too  often  synonymous  with 
a  mistaken  hatred  of  all  that  made  life  Uantiful.  eomhined 
with  a  (|uiek  appnriation  of  whatever  added  to  it^  material 
comfort.     Their  favorite  teaeliers  and  jjuiilt      .ere  such  men 
as   Ilervey,    Ifomaiiu-,   Cecil,    .\ewton,  'I'homas  Scott,   and 
Charles  Simeon.     Tin-    Kvaiip'iicals   were   students   of   the 
Bible,  deeply  versed  in  its  contents,  jironounced  litcralists, 
experts  in  the  doctrinal  views  they  acce|»ted,  and  frequently 
more  than  equal  to  tlu'  controvcrsiidi^ts  they  were  called 
upon  to  meet.     .\everthelt-~>,  they  w»Te  too  eircumscrihed  in 
ranjje  and  deficient  in  imajriiiation  and  >ym|)i  thy  to  sujjply 
an   adequate   tluolojiy   for  the  ap-.     "The    history  of  the 
Evangelical  Revival  illustrates  the  limits  of  ■•(■'  jjious  move- 
ments which  s|)rinjj  up  in  tiie  al)sence  of  ;iii\   '  j')rous  rivals 
without  a  definite  philosophical  Imsis.     Tney  flourish  for  a 
time  because  they  satisfy  a  real  emotional  craving;   but  they 
have  within  them  the  seeds  of  decay.     A  form  of  faith  which 
has  no  charms  for  thinkers  end>  by  repelling  from  itself  even 
the  thinkers  who  have  grown  uj)  under  its  influence.     In  the 
second   generation   the  able  disciples   revolted   against    the 
strict  dogmatism  of  their  fathers,  and  sought  for  some  more 
liberal    form    of   creed,    or   some   more    potent    intellectual 
narcotic.  .  .  .     When  the  heart  usurps  the  functions  of  the 
head,  even  a   progressive  dexelopinent    will   appear  to    Iw 
retrograde."  '     Their  instruction   was  subordinated   to    the 
dogma  of  election  and  its  corollaries,  insistence  upon  which 
engendered  that  aversion  ft  It  at  Oxford  toward  Calvinism, 
where  it  supplied  one  of  the  first  incentives  to  the  Tractarian 

'Sir  Leslie  Steplii-ii :    '•  History  of  KiiKlish  Thuunht  iu  the  Eighteenth 
Century";    Vol.  II.  pp.  431  and  i.io. 


I.) 


i 


II 


I 


:* 


4lti      TIIKKK    UKLKilOUS    LKADKUS  tiK   (iXKdUU 

Mi.vciiifiit.  Tlicir  ratiili>iii  iixliiud  iimnv  of  thero  to 
l'r<rMillfiiariaiii>in  a--  a  rcfiij;*'  fmiii  tli<'  a|)|)r(>ii(-hiiiK  ftttii**- 
iroplifs  (if  flic  pri'MMit  lli>|H■ll^ati(lll.  'I'lu-  lin-a<lth  ari<l  verve 
of  Luther,  or  (lie  jo^'ical  arrav  aiitl  tnei>i\fiieH.H  of  Calvin,  or 
tlie  '  plalforin  of  dix  ipline"  of  Knox  and  the  earlier  I'liritan^ 
\\ii>  not  in  tlieni  imr  in  their  follower^. 

Social  conilition>  had  >lo\vl\  chanjred  their  once  unUuidinf; 
hcarinj;  in  an  «n\  iroiitnent  which  laid  >treHs  on  what  was 
fa>tidiou>  or  inncnioiis  or  j;ent«'cl :  almost  ins«'n>il)l\  tlie.v 
inhahnl  the  MihtU-  poi--oii  of  flioe  refiiiirement^,  and  iK-vil- 
o|H'd  ati  acc<iMiiM(Mlatin^  spirit  toward  thetn.  1  >espite  de- 
terioration, however,  the  more  intense  Evanj;clicals  warred 
apiinst  prevalent  evils  in  ("hurch  and  State,  thus  incurring: 
proscription  as  enthusiasts  and  liinots.  Their  preachinjc 
lent  Wfinht  to  the  char>;e;  it  alxiunded  in  credal  phrases 
which  had  lost  their  >i>;nificanc«',  and  left  untouched  lar>;e 
and  vital  needs  of  human  life.  Itcferences  to  ethical  oi)li- 
^ation  an<l  the  necessity  for  rifthteous  conduct  were  dis- 
para>;ed  if  they  seeme<|  to  clash  with  salvation  hy  faith  and 
for  the  elect  alone.  The  result  was  that  their  homilies 
seldom  ventured  In-yond  the  rudiments  of  the  (iosih-I,  pr««- 
ferriii);  the  well-worn  track  of  a  call  to  re|HMitance  and  a 
conditional  assuraiur  of  i)ardon.'  Arrojtant  exchisiveuess,  a 
sure  sipn  of  decay,  Ix'Rau  to  show  itself  atnon>;  them.  They 
si't  themselves  apart  as  the  truly  religious,  the  chosen  (le|K)s- 
itaries  of  Christian  verity,  culture,  and  exjHTienci',  with  a 
<lialect  of  their  own  ;  and  were  inclined  to  regard  those  who 
were  not  of  their  |HTsuasion  as  worldliiiKs  and  soothsayers. 

It  was  hut  one  remove  froin  this  temiH-r  to  the  materialism 
which  helieved  in  inakinj;  the  hcst  of  both  worlds,  projecting 
th«'  theory  of  rewards  and  punishments  into  the  future  with 
reckless  profusion,  and  emi)hasizin>;  it  as  the  chief  stimulus 

'  .•sydiifv  .Sriiitli  wrote  :  The  itrciit  tihjccl  of  iihmIitii  soriiiim.t  is  to  hiizunl 
nothiiK?.  Their  eliirniteri^lii'  is  ileieiil  ili'liility,  wliiili  iilike  Kuanl^  their 
:iuthor'<  from  hiilicroiis  errors  mil  ijre<lii(les  thi'iii  from  Htrikiim  lK':iiities, 
Kvory  imiii  of  sense  in  tukiiiK  H|>  mi  KnuM^h  Meriuori  exiH'etH  to  tiii<l  it  a 
toUious  essay." 


■    i   '< 


(    '       I- 


JOHN    IIKNH\     NKW  ,IA\ 


417 


f 


t"  it'mIIv  living.  Tluir  priiKcniior,  liad  liravnl  the  iiiipT  i.f 
iaii  ()i>lii>|)s  In  f\li<)rtiitii»n>  .iml  practitrs  t'lat  dnw 
ti..  a^M's  til  their  rliiirclu's.  Tlu'  .Itxciidants  wcrt'  foiiinl 
ill  till'  ri(  li  ami  fasliionalili-  pulpit-  of  Loiiilnii  iiiiij  tlif 
l)ri)viii(Ts.  'iVt,  iiiitwitli>tnii(liii>;  this  ilniiur  in  vahii- 
anil  lircatltli  of  stT\  ict',  a  iar>:r  contiii^itit  of  An>,'li(aii> 
^till  (Iiiiij;  to  thr  l^iw  Church,  clicrishinj;  its  ih-voiit  iii- 
iHTitanri'  ami  cariiotly  »'\|K'itiiiK  a  rnii-ua!  of  those  >;ift-< 
anil  >;ra<fs  vhieh  were  now  it-  fondest  trailitions.  Faimiii> 
ilivines  stren^th'Uiil  .:ml  ailormil  the  wider  ranks  of 
KvanjteliealiMii,  luit  few  >n.li  were  foiiml  within  the  pale  of 
the  K^tahlishinenl.  Ilohert  llall,  John  I'o-ter,  William  Fay 
of  Hath,  Kdward  Ir\  iiijr.  the  er  ceiitriepniiis,  and  in  Scotland, 
'Phoinas  ('liaiiniT>.  reprcMrued  the  \  ijrnr  and  fearlessness  of 
an  earlier  day  and  maintained  the  excellence  of  Kvanp-lical 
preaching. 

It  should  Im'  added  that,  notwithstandinj:  its  waniii<;  fires, 
the  party  conferred  upon  hnmanity  m.iiic  of  it-  foremost 
lienefactiirs.  'I'he  men  and  women  who-e  nn-tinted  lahors 
and  sacrifices  wen  in-trnmental  in  foinidin;:  I  lie  forci^jn 
missionary  propaganda,  in  olitainiiiK  clemenc.N  for  the  llimhi 
and  freedom  for  the  sJum',  in  alioli>hin^'  erne!  i»eiial  law- 
ami  i)iirifyin;;  noisome  prison-,  a-  a  rule,  owed  allegiance  to 
the  ('la|)ham  >ect  vividly  descriiied  hy  Macanlay,  or  to  it- 
lesser  rival,  the  Clapton  Sect,  and  were  acti\e  and  influential 
niemhers  of  tin-  evaiiplieal  win;;  of  the  Church. 

StandiiiK  a|)art  from  \\\^\\  and  Low  Churchmen  were  cer- 
tain thinkers  and  writer-  to  whom  tlie  term  Broad  <  "iiurchmen 
has  sincr  heen  conveniently  ;;pplied.  The-e  may  lie  di\ided 
into  two  >ections,  the  philo-o)»hical,  which  i)e,s,'an  with  .Samuel 
Taylor  Coleridp-  and  pa-sed  on  to  such  typi-al  divines  as 
Frederick  Denison  Maurice,  and  later,  i^rooke  Ko—  We-tcott ; 
and  the  critic.il  or  historical,  represented  \>y  liciirv  Hart 
Milmaii,  Newell  Connop  Thirlwall,  Inliu-  Cliarle-  Hare, 
Thomas  Arnold,  and  Arthur  renrhyn  Stanley.  The  Platonic 
Kiis{)el  of  Coleridp- discarded  the  .-iiHtlojietic  of  I'alex .  which 


H 


!  1 


Si  ■' 


I: 


1 


>  i 


Pi' 

ii  Iff* 


418     TIIHEE    KKLIUIOUS   LEADKUS   OF   OXFORD 

found  all  good  in  happiness,  and  the  empiricism  of  I^cke, 
whidi  posited  all  kno\vledf;e  in  phenomena  as  derived  by 
reflection  from  what  tlii'  s«nses  re\  lal.  With  Schleiermacher, 
Coieridj^e  traced  the  sources  of  reli>;ious  faitli  to  exiK'rience, 
hut  he  also  aflirmed  the  exist«'nce  of  an  intellectual  organ  for 
the  apim-hension  of  (lod.  This  lie  defined  as  the  Hca.inn, 
which  was  loftier  in  nature,  and  dealt  witli  higher  truths  than 
the  ViKlcrstiiiiiliiKj.  l-'or  wliile  the  I'mlirstitiidliKj  was  wholly 
dependent  upon  ]>ercci)tion  for  its  data,  and  generalized  from 
the  material  presented  hy  the  senses,  the  licu.vm  was  con- 
cerned intuitively  and  inunediately  with  necessary  and 
universal  truths.  The  former  ojjerated  in  the  world  of  time 
and  space,  and  was  in  a  mea>ure  shared  hy  animals,  whose 
instinct  was  only  a  lower  kind  of  "adaj)tive  intelligence." 
The  latter  fulfilled  its  ofhce  in  the  spiritual  sphere,  and  its 
presence  in  man  proved  hi>  afhnity  with  a  supernatural  order 
as  certairdy  ..s  the  VnilvrMdiidiiKj  related  him  to  the  i)hysical 
creation.  The/»V«.vo«  had  twofunctions  :  t'u' cognitive,  from 
which  procee<led  idl  ontological  Jiinkinf;  leas  of  cause, 
unity,  infinitude,  antl  the  like;  and  the  active,  from  which 
arose  the  j)ostulates  of  moral  action,  such  as  obligaii.ni, 
freedom,  and  personality. 

This,  of  course,  was  another  way  of  stating  Kant's  resolu- 
tion of  the  llcdttiin  into  its  com|)onents,  the  speculative  and 
tlu  practical,  and  the  indehtedness  of  ( "oleridge  to  the  founder 
of  the  critical  phiIosoj)hy  is  everywhere  apparent.  From 
Kant  and  Schclling  his  metai)hysic  received  its  primary 
impuUc. 

Both  finutions  of  the  llotxini.  argued  Coleridge,  were 
fulfilled  in  definite  religious  faith.  The  speculative  element 
could  give  the  conception  of  an  .\l)solute  Hcilig,  hut  since  its 
content  was  purely  ontological  it  could  not  predicate  His 
character.  On  tin-  other  hand  th(>  practical  element,  or 
moral  consciousnes>,  rc\ealed  the  .Vhsolute  as  the  Holy  One. 
who  was  "visihie"  in  that  degree  in  which  the  perceiving 
heart  was  |)ure.     The  l\ins<ni  which  discharged  this  double 


.lOIIX    IIKNin     NKWMAN 


419 


function  was  not  a  (IctacluMi  personal  faculty,  luit  tlic  imma- 
nence in  human  ai)])rcliension of  tlic  Divine  l{eas(in,"theliKht 
which  li)jhtctli  every  man,"  the  link  lu-tween  the  Creator  and 
the  creature,  and  the  <'s.>ential  medium  for  tiiat  fellowship 
which  apprises  men  of  s|)iritual  realities.  Since  the  l)asic  ideas 
of  reli>;ion  were  derived  from  tlie  Kcdfinn,  tluis  understood, 
it  followed  that  tlie  deistic  view  of  "natural  reii^jion"  was 
precluded  as  a  contradiction  in  terms. 

The  psycholojiical  analysis  of  the  soul  was  supplemented  by 
the  reverse  process.  Having'  worked  upwards  from  the  data 
of  human  consciousness  to  the  Divine  Heinj;,  Coleridjie  pro- 
ceeded on  a  descending  path  from  the  .Vhsolute  One  to  Ilis 
manifestations  in  the  finite.  The  Loi;os  or  Son  of  the  Father 
was  the  one  mediator  l)etween  (lod  and  the  universe,  sus- 
taining' cosmic  relations  to  all  that  is,  directinj;  the  eternal 
process  in  history,  and  iiispirini;  the  soul  with  moral  and 
spiritual  truth,  in  Jcsus,  the  Son  attaineil  a  concrete  per- 
sonal expression,  which  while  specialized  in  a  profoundly 
impressive  manner,  was  neither  exclusive  nor  final  in 
the  sense  that  He  had  withdrawn  from  the  rest  of  mankind. 
Humanity  as  a  wlioK-  felt  the  throhhin^'s  of  His  lifjlit  and  life, 
withcmt  Whom  nothing;  could  exist.  Thus  the  particular 
Incarnation  the  (losjH'ls  recorded  revealed  and  realized  theall- 
pervadinj;  truth  that  the  race  was  the  otVsprinj:  of  (lod,  Who 
through  self-manifestation  and  utmost  sacrifice  ever  sought 
to  reclaim  and  reconcile  His  errant  children. 

The  apprehension  of  this  fundamental  truth  made  possible 
the  new  birth  which  was  the  chief  j)urpose  of  the  Son's 
redemptive  mission,  and  which  consisted,  not  in  an  improved 
self,  but  in  "a  Divin(>  otiier-than-sclf."  The  mind  of  Christ 
blended  with  the  mind  of  believers,  and  a  life  of  the 
Spirit  was  inaut;uratcd,  a  life  of  triist  and  love,  a  life  of 
closest  and  most  intimate  conmumion  with  the  Father, 
throu^ch  the  Son.  The  two  paths  of  ontolof^ical  dialectic  and 
psycholopcal  examination  convery;cd  to  the  point  where  (lod 
and  man  met  in  a  livinj;  union.     Tiie  i)owerless  abstractions 


1' 


420      TIIHKK    UKLKilOlS    I.KADKRS  Ol'   OXKOIM) 


i    I 


of  (k'isni  jravc  |)Ia((>  to  a  Holy  Father  \vli(<sc  love,  worsliij), 
anil  s»'r\i(('  fvokt><l  ami  satisfied  tlie  dt'i-pcst  feelings  of 
regenerate  hearts,  which  intuitively  demanded  a  Personal 
Deity  rather  tlian  a  prineiph"  as  the  source  of  their  salvation 
and  tlie  center  of  their  faith. 

If  this  Christianized  IMatonisni  was  a  reaction  from  the 
sterile  tliinking  and  materialized  necessity  of  current  philos- 
ophies, it  was  no  less  (ippo>ed  to  some  main  articles  of 
the  reigning  (alvinistic  tiieology.  The  oppositicm  was 
interpretative  rather  than  lu-gative.  Coleridge  admitted 
the  fact  of  sin  and  the  consecpient  alienation  of  every  soul 
from  the  Kverla>ting  Will,  so  that  man  was  always  the  object 
of  a  necessary  redemption.  Hut  Calvinism  had  fornuilated  a 
doctrine  of  Original  Sin  issuing  in  that  iiereditary  depravity 
which  infected  the  entire  race  at  hirth.  I'pon  this  it  pro- 
ceeded to  constrnct  a  scheme  of  atonement,  viewed  as  a 
propitiation  of  the  wrath  of  Divine  justice  by  means  of  the 
penalty  which  fell  upon  Christ.  Sin.  contended  Coleridge, 
was  a  moral  not  a  natural  fact,  and  therefore  couhl  not  he 
horn  in  man.  hut  must  he  the  outcome  of  his  own  volition : 
the  only  Original  Sin  was  that  which  each  man  himself 
originated.  The  aim  of  redt'inption  was  not  to  discharge  an 
ancestral  debt  which  involve'  dl  men,  but  to  deliver  them 
from  the  dominion  of  ini((uity  which  had  its  seat  in  the  de- 
flected will;    in  brief,  to  recreate  them  in  Christ  Jesus. 

In  the  matter  of  Hiblical  criticism,  CoU-ridge  symi)athi/,ed 
with  the  historico-rationalistif-  methods  of  (lermany.  His 
system,  like  Schlciirmacher's.  was  sufficiently  expansive  to 
incorporate  the  results  of  the  new  scholarshii)  without  detri- 
ment to  the  objectives  of  faith,  as  he  understood  them.  Too 
susceptible  to  impres>i()ns  of  various  kinds  to  be  always  con- 
sistent, too  mystical  and  remote  to  be  always  clear,  neverthe- 
less Coleridge  imjiarted  a  needed  impetus  i^>  the  spiritualizing 
of  theology  in  Kngland,  where  he  was  este-med  by  his  dis- 
ciples a>  the  greatest  religious  thinker  of  hi.-  time.  Just  so 
surely  as  Carlyle  widened  and  ileejK'iied  the  insular  channels 


JOHN    IIKNKV    NKWMAN 


421 


of  literature,  so  siirtly  Coleridge,  notwithstanding  his  occa- 
sional obliquities,  challenKed  the  champions  of  an  orthodoxy 
which  had  hidden  behind  the  authority  of  the  ("hurch  or  the 
nihlo  and  used  the  medium  of  a  hidebound  theology.  Xew- 
man,  speaking  for  many  others  who  agreed  with  him  in  little 
else,  protested  against  Coleridge's  speculations,  and  said 
that  they  took  for  granted  a  liberty  which  no  Christian  could 
tolerate,  and  carried  him  to  conclusions  which  were  often 
heathen  rather  than  Christian.  Yet  he  admitted  that 
Coleridge  "installed  a  highe:  phih)sopliyinto  inquiring  minds 
than  they  had  hitherto  been  accustomed  to  accept.  In  this 
way  he  made  trial  of  his  age,  and  succeede<l  in  interesting  its 
genius  in  the  cause  of  Catholic  truth."  ' 

Prominent  among  the  critical  and  historical  group  of 
.scholars  was  Henry  Ilart  Milman,  who,  after  a  most  cred- 
itable career  at  Oxford,  became  Dean  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral, 
London,  in  1S4!>.  While  retaining  some  of  the  intellectual 
habits  of  the  eighteentli  century,  Milman  was  markedly 
friendly  to  the  larger  ideas  of  the  succeeding  era,  holding 
himself  free  to  accept  and  spread  their  ligiit,  however  trying 
it  might  prove  to  older  jHTspectives.  I  lis  cautious  and 
in<lependent  nature  allowed  nothing  to  pass  without  exam- 
ination, and  he  was  too  devoted  to  trutii  to  accept  or  reject 
conclusions  merely  because  <»f  their  age  or  novelty.  If  he 
was  not  exactly  the  forerunner  of  Higher  Criticism  in  Eng- 
land, he  was  a  pioneer  in  that  school  of  criticism  which  has 
since  <leveloped  fruitful  inquiries  in  many  directions,  and 
especially  in  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  His  "  History 
of  the  Jews,"  which  appeared  in  lN2i»,  marked  an  epoch  in 
the  historical  scholarship  of  Anglicanism,  and  was  at  least 
fifty  years  in  advance  of  the  times.  Dean  Stanley,  who  was 
in  some  respects  Milniaii's  successor,  described  the  work  as 
"the  first  decisive  inroad  of  Cierman  theology  into  England, 
the  first  palpable  indication  that  the  Hil)le  could  be  treated 
like  any  other  book  ;  that  the  characters  and  events  of  sacred 

'  "Aiiologia"  :   p.  "J7. 


ii 


m 


422     THREK    UKLIOIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 


'i  I' 


ilr 


history  could  l)o  treated  at  once  critically  and  reverently." 
Its  inferences  and  su),'j;estioiis,  c\en  more  tlian  its  actual 
statements,  led  to  such  a  furore  that  the  publication  of  the 
manuals  in  which  it  was  one  of  a  series  came  to  a  sudden 
end.  Oxford  joined  in  the  outcry  apunst  it.  and  Newman 
reviewed  it  a<lversely  in  the  liritiftli  Critic.  Once  the 
rifjht  of  entry  into  the  hitherto  inclosed  field  of  Biblical 
history  was  ceded,  important  conscciueiiccs  were  bound  to 
follow.  l'hih)sophcrs  and  theolo^'ians  mifjht  indulge  in 
ceaseless  disputes  without  arriviuji  at  any  agreement ;  under 
Milman's  treatment  the  records  of  Scripture  were  no  longer 
matters  of  o|)inion,  but  of  fact,  dependent  upon  accurate 
knowledge  derived  from  the  scientific  study  of  their  contents. 
To  men  who  lield  that  the  inspired  writings  were  immune 
from  research,  his  method  appeared  nothing  better  than  an 
abomination  of  (Icrman  infidelity  intnKluced  into  the  Knglish 
Church  at  a  moment  when  she  was  imperilled  by  a  crumbling 
ethic  and  a  vanishing  faith. 

The  .slumbering  tenacities  of  the  Universities  were  now 
slowly  awakening.  At  Cambridge  those  who  resented  the 
dogmatism  of  arrogant  ignorance,  and  advocated  a  sound 
and  reasonable  \  iew  of  life,  formed  a  coterie  of  better  spirits 
known  as  the  Apostles  Club.  Impatient  with  the  banalities 
of  purblind  regularity,  Thirlwall,  Hare,  and  Maurice,'  to- 
gether with  others  not  already  named,  such  as  John  Sterling, 
Adam  Sedgwick,  Hichani  Chenevix  Trench,  Arthur  Hallam, 
Alfred  Tennyson,  and  Charles  Buller,  attached  themselves 
either  to  Coleridge  or  to  more  spacious  beliefs  in  politics 
and  religion.  They  earnestly  desired  a  dispassionate 
and  penetrative  spiritual  life  and  thought,  and,  while  loyal 
to  the  substance  of  Christian  teaching,  asked  for  a  searching 
revision  of  current  creeds  which  would  render  them  accept- 
able to  changed  conditions.  Thus  the  clerical  edicts  against 
further  quest  for  truth  wrought  cllectively  in  the  opposite 
direction. 

'  Maurito  Ix-loiiKeJ  to  butli  L'uiversities. 


JOHN    HENUY   NEWMAN 


423 


Thirlwall,  afterwards    Bishop  of  St.  Davids,  was  con- 
spicuous even  arnonji   these  eminent  men   as  one  of   the 
prineeliest  intellects  of  the  century.     With  Hare,  who  could 
not   be   assigned    to    any    particular   theological    cult,    he 
labored  to  supplant  the  formula'  then  in  vogue  by  more 
accurate   and   progressive   princii)lcs.     Among  their  many 
services  in  this  direction  they  collaljorated  in  the  translation 
of  Nicbuhr's  "History  of  Home,"  which  Hare  supported  by 
his  "Vindication  of  Niebuhr"  against  the  charge  of  skepti- 
cism.   In  ISlT)  Thirlwall  i)ublislicd  Schleiermachcr's  "  Critical 
Essay  on  tiie  (lospcl  of  St.  Luke,"  containing  an  intro<luc- 
tion  that  revealed  iiis  extensive  acquaintance  with  German 
theology,   a    field    of    learning    as    yet    hardly    known    to 
English    students.      Thirlwall's    endowments    and    catho- 
licity of  outlook   made  him  a  comi)etent  and  trustworthy 
guide   for   those  wlio  cared   to   follow    him.     In    1S34   he 
petitioned   and   wrote   in   favor  of  the  admission  of  Free 
Churchmen  to  university  degrees.     He  also  conilemned  the 
collegiate  lectures  in  divinity  and  compulsory  attendance  at 
Chapel,  "with  its  constant  repetition  of  a  heartless  mechani- 
cal service."    This  pamphlet  was  issued  on  May  21,  1S34; 
five  days   later   Dr.   Christoplu-r   Wordsworth,   Master  of 
Trinity,  wrote  to  the  author,  asking  him  to  resign  his  appoint- 
ment   as    assistant-tutor;     Thirlwall    at    once    complied. 
In  1S4()  Lord  Melbourne  olVercd  him  the  bishopric  of  St. 
Davids,  a  see  the  solitude  and  retirement  of  which  exactly 
suited    his    pliilosophicd    and    literary    tastes.     He    rarely 
quitted  "Chaos,"  as  lie  called  his  library,  except  to  attend  to 
the  duties  of  his  diocese. 

Seldom  was  a  severer  strain  of  self-suppression  necessary 
at  a  moment  when  the  natural  desire  should  have  been  to 
obtain  information,  and  to  bring  to  tiie  common  stock  what- 
ever of  well-considered  suggestion  or  of  legitimate  criticism 
might  be  available  for  the  attainment  of  those  reforms 
on  which  the  future  of  the  Church  depended.  Thirlwall 
was   well   (lualihcd   to   further   such   aims,   but    his    great 


j' 


:    ?    I 


424      TIIREK    HKLKilors   LKADKKS  OF   OXFORD 

(|iialitifs  iis  ii  thinker  witlidut  passion  or  prejiidice.  and  the 
fearlessness  with  wliich  lie  expressed  his  views  on  disputed 
(liiestions,  seimrated  him  fn.iii  the  clerKy  and  the  bishops. 
Ilis  first  charge   was  a   hroadly   conceived   defense  of  the 
Tractarians,  then  the  anathema  of  all  parties.     He  was  one 
of  the  few  prelat.-s  who  refnsed  to  inhibit  Bishop  Colenso  of 
-Natal  for  his  heretical  expositions  on  the  I'entateueh.     Anionp 
nnportant  legislatixe  acts  that  won  his  api)roval,   of  which 
two  at   least  lune  since  been  ratifie.l  by  the  nation,  were 
the  a<lmission  of  Jews  to  Parliament,  the  Krantinjj  of  State 
funds  for  the  !{oman  Catholic  College  at  Mavnooth.  and  the 
disestablishment  of  the  Anfrlican  Church  in  Ireland.     A  per- 
vading sanity  eharact.-rized  the  workings  of  his  mind  •    he 
humanize.!  the  episcopa.y  of  which  he  was  an  unusual'  but 
infiuential  member,  and  endeavored  to  secure  the  inclusive 
policy  and  action  of   the  Church    in    a    nati<m    emphat- 
ically 1  rotestant,  and  to  ,.reserve  it  from  being  e«,ntr.)lled 
by  an  obscurantist  sacerdotalism.     Partisan  opposition  could 
not  separate  him  from  these  resolves.       His  devout  rea.son- 
ableness  counted   for  infinitely  more  with   far-sighted  men 
an.l  women  than  abstract  systems  deduced  from  assumed 
hrst    principles.     His    massive    intelligence    and    sagacious 
judgment  were  as  .leserving  of  reverence  as  the  tender  and 
fragrant  piety  of  Charles  Marriott.     The  fear  which  Words- 
worth says 

"has  a  huridml  eyes,  that  all  agree 
To  plague  her  l)eating  heart," 

was  unknown  to  Connop  Thirlwali.  He  believed  in  man 
because  he  bciicv.-d  supremely  in  (Jod  and  in  the  ultimate 
triumph  of  His  will. 

\Vhile  the  genius  of  (Jerman  ,,hilosophy  was  welcomed 
b.v  the  (  ambridge  men.  who  passe,!  ,,uickly  from  admiration 
t<.  penetratmn  of  the  new  soul  and  an  un.lerstanding  of  its 
meanmgs.  Oxford  was  alert  under  other  forms;  forms  less 
pliahle,  less  evenly  just,  less  open  to  the  inflow  of  cntinental 


.lOllN    IIKNUV    NKWMAN 


42-) 


tbouglit  un«l  tin-  iiKMliHciitioii  of  jis>uml  facts;  more 
dialectical,  doninatic,  aii<l  iiiia^riiiativc.  ()ri»-l,  in  particular, 
stcMMl  forth  as  the  center  of  a  Miccessioii  of  more  or  h'ss  per- 
ceptive men.  I'mler  I'rovost  KveU'i;;li  it  was  the  first  coMejic 
to  throw  open  its  fellowshi|)s  to  competition  and  to  ask  for 
the  institution  of  university  class  lists.  From  the  days  of 
Copleston  to  those  of  namp<len  it  harliored  a  hreailth  then 
unknown  elsewhere  in  Oxford.  Its  reputation  for  liheralism 
was  enhanced  l>y  a  residenl  haml  known  as  tiic  Noeties, 
who  "fought  to  the  stunip>  of  their  intellects."  They  n'\)Tv- 
sented  the  common  loyalties  and  >ymi)athies  of  Oxonians, 
intermingled  with  an  extensive  variety  of  >;ifts  and  opinions, 
and  accompanied  hy  a  nuitual  c(tncession  of  the  rights  of 
inquiry.  The  evan;;elical.  sacerdotal,  niyMical,  and  rational 
aspects  of  religion  were  freely  diMUs>ed,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing a  certain  aridity  of  mind  which  characterized  some  of  the 
N«H'ties,  out  of  the  ferment  they  stimulatetl  Tractarianism 
arose. 

The  most  prominent  fi^rure  amonj;  theiu  was  Richard 
Whately.  afterwards  Archhishop  of  Duhiin,  who  had  an 
exceptional  knowledjje  of  and  power  over  his  accjuaintances. 
So  far  as  he  ma\  he  classified  at  all.  Whately  l)elon>:ed  to  the 
Liberal  wiiij;.  hut  there  was  no  necessary  incompatihility 
between  his  position  and  a  definite  traditional  standpoint. 
In  fact,  his  theory  of  the  Church  as  the  acknowled^eil 
precursor  of  a  more  advanced  dodrine.  Hut  he  was  too 
original  and  self-contained  to  he  a  ^oimI  partisan.  Contem- 
porary Kvangelicals  de«-ined  him  a  typical  Latitudinarian 
of  the  previous  century;  llifili  ("luirchmen  rested  some  of 
their  conclusions  upon  his  premises  ;  Hroad  ("hurchmen  have 
claimed  him  as  one  of  tiieir  founders.  His  comnumicatinj,' 
qualities  as  a  thinker  were  demonstrated  by  their  operation 
in  such  divergent  directions.  I'pon  none  did  he  exercise 
them  more  freely,  and  for  a  time  successfully,  than  upoti 
Newman,  and  the  part  Whately  played  in  his  career  will  be 
inentiuned  later. 


!   'I 


I  • 


J:  I    ; 


H'H 


12«i     TIIUKK    UKLMilors   I.KADKKS  oK  OXFOUD 

Whutevt-r  cist-  tlic   NcH-ti.s  (|ii«'sti<)iud   tlu'v  were  con- 
viiim!  tliat  the  Cliunli  ..f  Ki.Kliind  must  cliaiiKt"  her  course 
or  presently  l)e  wreekifl.     The  first  t(.  forfen.l  this  eventual- 
ity. an.l  t.)  articulate  the  elaims  of  Hi^h  AnKlieanism,  was 
Dr.  Charles  Lloyd,  who  had  been  Sir  Kohert  IVel's  tutor  was 
apiM.u.U.1  in  IS2-2  Divinity  Professor  at  Oxfonl.  promote.1  to 
the  l)isli()pric  of  that  see  in  1SJ7.  and  died  in  !,SJ(».     Those 
who  resorti-d  to  his  leetures.  ainon>r  whom  were  I'usey,  \ew- 
man,  Hurrell  Krotide.  and  the  Wilherforces.   heard  'for  the 
fi^rst  tinu"  an  t'xposition  of  the  history  and  structure  of  the 
Prayer  Book  as  a  translation  and  adaptation  of  the  Missal 
and   the  Breviary.     EnKrossinn  eontentions  with   rational- 
istie  deism  had  ohseur«-d  these  antecedents  of  the  Litany 
the  study  of  which  enabled  Lloyd's  students  to  discern  that 
the  Church  was  far  more  than  a  mere  creature  of  the  State. 
He  announced  ui  a  tentative  fonn  the  doctrines  to  which 
the  Tractarians  were  subsequently  (•ori\ert.-d.      Tln-se  were 
afterwards  more  completely  state.1  by  Newman,  who  said  • 
"We  were  upholding;  that  ])rimitive  Christianitv  which  was 
delivered  for  all  time  by  the  early  teachers  of  the  Church 
and  which  was  registered  an.l  attested  in  the  Anglican  formu- 
laries and  by  Anglican  <livines.     That  ancient  religion  had 
well-nij;h   faded  out  of  the  lan.l   throughout  the  political 
ehauKcs  of  the  last  one  lumdrt'd  and  fifty  years,  and  it  must 
be  restorcil.     It  would  be,  in  fact,  a  second  Ileformation  - 
a  better  Ueformation  —  for  it  would  be  a  return  not  to  the 
sixteenth  century,  l)ut  to  the  seventeenth."  ' 

This  transformation  of  the  nature  and  claims  of  the 
Anglican  Communion  insisted  upon  her  place  in  the 
Church  I'niversal  as  an  organized  society  founded  bv  her 
Divine  Lord,  independently  of  the  will  of  the  State. "  She 
was  regarded  as  the  one  true  an<l  sufficient  source,  in  Eng- 
land and  among  English  speaking  men.  of  instruction  in 
faith,  worship,  and  morals.  The  spiritual  authority  con- 
ferred by  Christ  upon  the  Apostles  was,  under  the  guidance 
'  "  .VpoloKiii "  ;  p.  4.{. 


I'l  i 


JOHN    IIKNKY    NKWMAN 


427 


of  the  Holy  Spirit,  traiiMiiittf«l  hy  tlifiii  to  tlu-ir  siuri'ssors, 
to  hf  t'XtT(i?>o<l  ill  ((iiiforiMity  witli  the  <irij;iiitil  coiiunissii 
Its  (liscipliiR'  iiiul  fdificatioii  wtrc  tlu'  >oK'  proronativi's  uf 
the  l)isliops,  who  niaiiitiiiiicil  In  oniiiiatioii  an  iiiihrokc.i 
line  of  (h'sctiit  from  the  New  'rotaiiuiit  Church,  as  a  soU'imi 
trust  hi'loiij;iii^;  sok-ly  to  thru'  aixl  to  tlu-  prifstlioiMl  which, 
to  use  the  cryptic  >pcccli  of  lli>;h  ("hurch  ch-rics,  had  tlic 
iuahfualdc  power  of  tiic  i\cys.  'V\w\  ami  they  alone  were 
entitled  to  administer  the  Sa<rament>  as  the  appoiut'tl  means 
of  rejjeiieratinfj  and  reui-winj;  (zrace. 

These  theories  minified  the  KvauKclical  ])rinciple  which 
treated  the  community  or  the  (  hurcii  as  secondary  and  placed 
the  individual  face  to  face  with  (lod.  They  nniKnified  the 
external  aiul  corixirate  existence  of  the  Church  as  opj)osed 
to  the  purely  internal  life  of  the  heliever.  The  fact  that 
attenuated  catenas  of  this  kind  were  out  of  date  as  honds 
of  union  was  not  known  to  the  Tractarians.  Their  idea  of 
origins  has  since  succnmhed  to  historical  evidence,  which 
takes  the  ((Uestion  no  farther  hack  than  the  cautious  state- 
ment of  the  Ordinal  that  the  three  orders  of  bishops,  presby- 
ters, and  deacons  existed  from  the  time  of  the  Apostles. 
Even  at  that  they  were  limited  to  the  j)rect'dent  of  St.  John 
and  the  repion  of  Asia  Minor.  As  to  whetiur  the  ordination 
was  of  the  <'.fw  of  the  Church  or  only  of  the  heue  enne,  An- 
glican divines  couki  l)e  (piotcd  in  l)otli  directions.  Hall, 
Taylor,  Lau<l,  Montague,  (iandcn,  Harrow,  Bevcridge,  Hicks, 
Brett,  Hughes,  Daubeny.  Van  Miklert,  and  Hebor  ranged 
themselves  on  the  side  of  the  necessity  of  the  episcopate. 
Against  them  were  Hooker,  .Vndrewcs,  I'siier,  Cosin,  Leigh- 
ton,  Burnet,  Sherlock,  and  Thorp.  Non-episcopal  orders  are 
now  described,  even  by  High  Clnirchnien,  a-  irregular  rather 
than  invalid.  Tlie  ililfcrence  is  significant,  and  while  the 
Church  of  Kngland  stands  for  episiopacy  with  resolute  deter- 
mination, it  «vinces  more  reasduaitlenes^  than  did  the  more 
ardent  Tractarian  advocates  of  the  theory. 

The  l)ishops  of  t\w  fir^t  decades  of  the  nineteenth  century 


I     I 


in 


\ 


;    I       I 


f 


I  ; 


1  '■ 


l\ 


I'    i 


42S      TIIRKK    UKLKilOlS    LK.VDKKs   (.K   OXKOUI) 

hnrv    no    r.M.nl.lan.r    to    s.m...    nf    ,|».    „,,,j;„;.t,.s    whosr 
m.n„.>    hav,.    ju,t    I....-!,    ,|„.,t...l.      Tl...     |..„j;     t.nnn-     „f 
l-a  .tu.lmana.UM„     I,,-  |    ,|..„,..rali/,  ,|    th.ir    .pirit.u.l    for.r 
""'I  I'Nnl.T^lMp.     .MaMv  a.n..MK  tlu„.  Iia.t  iKrn  apjH.i.it.-.!  fur 
ix'htual  ..r  ta.n.lv  rras,,,,. :    on.r  ,.|.tlin.iu-.l.  th.-v  sul,si,|,..| 
mt..  tlu-.r  natural  inMKnili.an.r.  an.l  it   was  Irft  "to  SanuiH 
\M  Lrrfonr   t,.   l,..,„„u'   tl.r   r,>ton-r  ..f  tlinr    ..(ii,r.      Tlu- 
•■arl.v    lra<tariaMs  rv,ulvrv,\  tlinn  .sul.,His>i\,.  „lH..li,.,i.r  ,r,til 
It  was  ...ar  tl.at  tlu-y  .li<|  „,.t  |.r..pos,-  tn  mvuvv  tliat  t.,-..- 
'l-m  ..f  s|M....h  an.l  a.ti..n  for  tlu- Cluinl,  whi.l.  was  nm-ssj.rv 
to  Iht  wdfar...     \\t  it  should  I,,.  r..,u..n.l„.r.-.;  tl.at  tlu-  l.ishops 
sharr.!  tlu-  t,n.p.T  of  tlu-  nation,  whi.h  was  franklv  Krastian 
"...I  aut,-(  atholi,-.     TI...  Knulisl.  ,Kop|,.  |,a.|  s.rn  u,unov,.,l  a 

st-ru-s  ot  rrliKious  an.hT,l,.sia,ti(al  revolutions.  fa»  "tatcl  and 
(■iin.uraKr.1  In  th.ir  own  iiulilV.rrn.r.     H.-nrvNIH.  I,v  his  will 
alone,  sralnl  the  national  faith  an.l  pres..ril.e.l  the  forms  of 
he  (lu.nl,:     i:,lwar.l    VI   aholishnl   the  Catholie  .loetrino 
Mis  father  prefern.l.  an.l  l.rouKht  in  an  un.lilute.l  iVotestan- 
tis.n.  while  Mary's  a.,rssion  was  the  signal  f.,r  that  rehal.ilita- 
■.."  of     apa    authority  a;:,.inst  whi.h  her  sister  Kli.al.eth  in 
.nrn  r,l,elle,|.     At  the  time  in  .pastion.  a|.art  from  a  few 
seattere.!  clerKym.n  an.l  .■nthusiasts  of  ()xf.,r.|  there  s,.emc<l 
to  !)..  no  .l..s,r,.  f„r  .hau^.-s.  least  ..f  all  f.,r  such  as  ofr..n.le<l 
the  stronp.st  instin.ts  of  th.-  ,H'..,.le.     The  l.ishops  helieunl  it 
their  .Inty  t..  maintain  th.-  .liputy  „f  the  Cn.wn  from  which 
they  ha.l  re.rivt.l  their  pn-ferment :    to  leave  authoritative 
reforms  to  the  ^'overnment.  an.l  to  a.lminister  the  existing 
onler   as   they   fo,„„|    it.     AIth..UKh   at   fault   in  their  ne«- 
lert  of  spintual  aHairs  an.l  in  their  ex.essiv,-  subservience 
to  the  Mat.-,  they  w.-re  n.)t  with.Mit    justiHcution    for  the 
policy  they  pursue.!. 

This  fra;rn.,ntarv  r.-vi.w  of  the  peri..|  when  a  new  heaven 
aiui  a  new  ,.arth  .nuT.^..!  t..  view  .-an  now  Ik-  recapitulate^!. 
1  Me  miuhty  .h-eps  ha.l  Im  .„  I.n.ken  up  hv  tlic  I<'rench  |{cvolu- 
t.on  an.!  its  >,.,pu.|  i„  the  .\ap.,|e„ni.-  wars.  Then  ,ame  a 
sueij  of  M.iil  at  home  an.l  al.r.,.ul  whicli  l,.,rc  forwan!  on  its 


I  I' 


JOHN    IIKNKN     NKWMAM 


42«) 


crest  a  .<i'ri('s  (»f  poets,  pniplu-ts,  thinkers,  anil  stutt'siiieii,  \v  itii 
every  kind  iif  tnU'nt  iiml  p-nin^  in  initniin  aflairs.  AUIioiikIi 
tliey  assailed  or  defended  \ested  interi'^t-^  and  ereeils,  tlu-  (in«' 
fonstruetive  pniject  wliieli  enyaned  all  alike  was  the  relxiild- 
injj  of  the  social  ■^tnictiin-.  The  -  >ms  of  the  new  liheralisiii 
iirj{ed  this  on  the  hasis  of  reli^'ioii^  and  political  reform.  The 
defenders  of  rank  and  pri\  ilep-  pr«s«r\ed  as  hest  they  could 
tlie  remnants  of  their  station  in  life.  The  tra«litioiuilists, 
whether  Uonian  or  .Vnylicnn,  resumed  tlu'ir  pleas  for  the 
sanctionsof  cii>tom  and  anti(piity  w  Inch  had  i)een  interrupte<l 
by  the  revolutionary  cjmhIi.  .Serious  men  for  wh(mi  religion 
meant  the  most  awful  and  tnost  |MTsonal  tiling  on  earth 
were  dismaycNl :  theolojiians  were  cither  retroactive  or 
cautiously  progressive,  jjliilosophcrs  were  averse  to  current 
orthiKJoxy,  and  scientists,  alisort>cd  in  their  first  \  ision  of 
the  wondiT  of  |)hysi(  al  i)hen<imcna,  were  advancing  theories 
which  had  to  run  tlic  j;anntli't  of  a  hitter  opj)osition.  The 
need  for  unifieil  process«'s  of  thought  and  aition  was  apparent. 
But  none  seemed  to  have  tliat  jrift  of  pnerali/ation  which 
could  hrin;;  the  era  to  a  fo(  us,  or  show  its  hearing  ui)oii 
the  forces  "f  a  j;rowiiin  communism  to  he  realized  hy  the 
si)read  of  intellim-nt  and  identical  aims  ainonj;  all  classes. 
Yet  the  difficulties  and  i)erils  of  the  situation  have  heen  exag- 
gerated It  was  not  in  any  sense  a  widespread  crisis;  the 
stern  discipline  of  war  or  of  a  common  calamity  had  no  place 
in  its  history.  There  was  no  leveliu);  of  the  artificial  differ- 
ences which  separate  man  from  man.  The  dej)ths  of  life 
were  still  left  unplumhed.  The  majority  of  the  [M-ople 
remained  indifferent  to  the  perpetual  strife  of  the  clericals 
and  anti-clericaN.  The  reli^'ious  instincts  and  emotions, 
which  are  as  n  "otc  from  do>;ma  as  they  are  from  politics, 
asserted  themselves  indc])cndently  nf  tiie  clash  of  opinions 
between  the  clcrj;y  and  their  opiM)nents.  Neither  the  Oxford 
Movement  nor  any  other  stir  in  the  troubled  affairs  of  the 
time  hai'  i)ower  to  reveal  on  a  large  scale  the  essentials  of 
human  iieinp ;  to  obliterate  social  caste,  to  transform  surface 


"IT 


11 


11: 
ill 


4:<(l      TIIUKK    IJKLKilors    I.KADKKS   OK   OXKOHH 

r\ist«ii.r  to  siriipl.'  >iii(«rit  \  of  wonl  aii<l  i|(«-<|,  uiiii,  a>  in  a  day 
of  supn-inr  Marcliiiu'  trinl.  to  l»iiii>li  the  <lros>  of  l.a,,.  ,|,.>ir«' 
and    [fiunhU-   trivialiiy    and    piirifv    tli*-   national   iliaractrr. 
Nfitlirr  tlic  IIIkIi  nor  tlir  Low  Chiircli  party  was  consjjic. 
nous  for  (luritv  of  tlion«;lit  or  warmth  of  .s.'-ntinn-nt ;   lK)th 
wm- dfficii  lit  in  pliilosopliical  fssnitials  ;  l)otli  w.rt' drprivt-d 
of  sufficii-nt  intclli-ctnal  Kiiidanct-.      And  if  tla-ir  constantly 
accutmilatinp  oMipitions   to   tin-   advancing    mind    of    tlio 
tim.s  fonnd  tluin  without  the  int-ans  (.f  payment,  from  the 
moral  un<l   rfli^ious  stand|M.ints  tlu-ir  condition   was  v\vt\ 
worse.     I),.aii  (  hnrch  declared  that  Traetarianisrn  to  a  large 
mea.iire  had  its  spring  in  the  conscienc«'s  and  character  of  it^ 
leaders  reacting  against  the  pr.valent  slackness  in  the  religioi: 
life  of  their  fellow  churchmen,  many  of  whom  were  afflic ;  ■ 
with  a  strange  hiindnes.  f,,  tlie  austerity  of  the  N.w  T    t . 
mint.      Vet   wluii  all  th.>c  factors  have  l>een  weighed    ■'  . 
origin  and  results  of  the  High  Church  Hevival  remain        i.- 
what  of  a  mystery,  in  the  interim-tation  of  which   iu,.-'' 
judgments  are  to  he  d.'precat.-d.     For  the  jirofoiuKl  change.^ 
which  have  heen  wrought  \>\  uumU'tu  life  and  thought  were 
then  no  more  than  end)ryonic.     In  addition  to  the  jiolitical 
developments   named,   u   system   of  compulsory   i-ducation 
has  since  heen  estahlishol  throughout  the  British  Kmpire. 
Ecclesiastical  claims  that  once  seemed  essential  to  the  in- 
terests t>f  religion  have  heen  set  aside  and  an  unaccustomed 
breadth  imparted  to  the  synd)ols  and  standards  of  thcf.logieal 
opinion.     The  scientific  temper  which  was  formerly  an  out- 
cast is  at  last  dominant  in  art  and  literature.     The  entire 
conception  of  society  and   of  the  functions  and  duties  of 
government  has  heen   enormously  extcidtnl.     The  Tracta- 
rians  were  imder  the  duress  of  the   sa<«-rdotalism   alreadv 
described.     In  behalf  of  a  divinely  authorize<l  Church  they 
were   inditferent   toward    inuneiliate  or  prosjx-ctive   better- 
ment, and  disi)aragcd  what  was  near  at  hand  for  the  sake 
of    what    was    afar    otV.     They    set    forth    much    thnt    was 
romantic  and,  to  the  British  mind,  obscure,  in  terms  that 


r 


lOIIN    IIKMM     \i:\V\|\\ 


4M 


Houmlfd  like  a  nn)t«M(Uf  iMTVcrsiitii  of  fuct-.  mid  rlu-tori*-. 
A  rniitioii  to  (  iitlioliciMii  which  Mtiiud  to  !)«■  horn  nut  of 
tliic  time  Will  thus  ciiiiipiH-)!  hkI  trcnttil  with  a  lioiiia){t> 
luiviiiK  ill  it  thf  note  of  nii  t.  f  world.  Nor  w«t«'  thry  siili- 
j«'(t  to  that  discipHiK  which  incepted  what  was  prejudicial 
to  prcvioiiscoin  ictioii>,  if  it  was  true,  or  rejected  what  seemed 
favoralile,  if  it  was  iiiiaccoiiipanicd  l>y  -.iilt-<taiitial  proof. 
Nevertheless,  tlwy  made  lieailway  in  an  aije  when  science 
Im'Piii  to  vaunt  itself  as  com|)etent  to  deal  with  philosophy 
and  religion.  Ainoiij:  a  people  avoW4dly  i'rotestant,  the 
TraetariiMis  inanap'd  to  liafHe  their  a>sailants,  overcome  aj>- 
!)areiitly  insU|H'ralile  difficulties,  and,  armed  with  weapons 
'espised   as  arcluiic,  to  c(>ntinue   the   strufrnie  a^rainst   the 

tionalism  i>f  the  ei;;liteenth  century. 

The  chief  aj;ent  in  tliis  aciiieveinent  was  a  child  of  Cul- 
.inistic  Kvaii^;clicali>in  and  a  son  of  Oxford,  dcvotc<l  to  the 
medievalism  whidi  pre\  ailed  in  it>  iiistitiitioiis  as  mi  its 
urchitectiire.  "hestiiied,  like  Wesley,  to  traverse  the  een- 
tur/ ;  like  him  to  exen  ise  on  all  who  came  near  iiim  a 
niinu-uious  iiiHueiice  of  attraction  or  rci)ulsion  ;  like  him  also 
to  Im*  rejected  of  his  riii\»-rsity  and  his  Cinirch,  and  to  set  ii 
large  movement  goiiii;  in  many  directions,"  '  Newman, 
though  not  the  actual  originator  of  Tractarianism,  was  its 
regal  pt-rsonality,  its  leader  of  radiating  powtT.  lie  gave 
it  life,  breath,  being  •  apart  from  him,  and  his  iiitre|)i(l  genius, 
it  is  highly  jjroblematical  whether  it  could  have  attaiiunl  a 
permanent  existence.  .\nd  after  lie  had  ceased  f  be  u 
member  of  the  ("liurcli  of  his  birth  his  unprecedenteil  pre- 
dominance was  long  felt  in  her  liistory.  lli-.  Anglican  career 
was  another  proof  that  tiie  exceptional  iiir.n  is  the  solution  of 
problems  which  >  ield  to  nothing  v\>v:  tlie  man  with  that 
touch  of  heart  ami  firaiii  which  cannot  be  detine<l,  liut  which 
all  instinctively  recogni/e  as  siifficii'iit  for  the  occasion. 
Sue!  as  Newman  ;  lie  flashed  through  the  mass  of  medioc- 
rity at  vital  light  without  which  no  development  of  ordi- 
nary (jualities  can  j)rosper. 

'  Dr.  Williuiii  Harry:    '  riirdinal  N'cwiiirin"  ;    p.  5. 


(    '■■ 


u 


I' 


I  4 


Sri 


***nf. 


I    : 


CIlAITKl}    X 
NEWMAN'S    I)K\  KLOl'MKNT  AND   I'KUSONALITY 


■V.V.i 


)  i 
I* 


H 


living- 


I  UK    >laK..    ,„,     „|„..h     w|,,.„    i.    ,,||..,|    ,1,..    OMonI     M„v..,n..„t     n.n 

thruu^-l,  „,  ,.„„rM.  I  .   ,|.,.,.i„  ..|M,r.H  t,r  „f  i,.  „„„.   „nlik..  I ir- 

<uin.tan,...,  ,n  „|,„l,  olh.r  vrW^u,,,^  ,.|r,.rK  l.„l  ,| ,|,rir  «.,rk       Tl„. 

MTM.-  of  ,l,„,.,.rMMM  I„kI  1.......  ;,  Krr:n  .■npiiMl.  .   UnWunu   >.«i,.,v    tl„. 

|.r.-.„„N  .,1  .  ...H.r..  ,1,..  ,.,.||.  „r  .  ,.„„w,„,  ,l„-  MH.I,,. I  |il.n,rii.s  ..f 

Ihr  ,  ...-tors  ..I  ,|„.  -.,rl,.,„M,..  ,i„    ,. ,,|  ,.|,,,„l,..,-  „f  ,h..  \  ;„i,.a„ 

ll-    ^.r,M-   „l    ,|,„    „..U     .Mn^,„M.nt    u.,    ..   i,k,.   ;„    H    .-.Mll.l    1...   i„   ..UP 

M..Mi-   Ap  (Kl„r,l   „ I    l,v    „.,.|f   i„    i,,    „».:„lo„,   l.v    ,h..   Hv.Ts 

•  n,„M,u,tl,  all  KmcIhi,,!.  I„,,.|ik,.  ,t.  M...,-i,t(  ■.inl.nM,',' 

•  •      It.  .,«,,.  „„|,k,.  tli.-.t  „<  any  ,,tl„T  sp,„  i„  Kin-iaiMJ    uitli 

^jH-nal  „H„,.-  „f  K,n,.n„n.n.  a,„)  ,,.,|„....  ,..  „.,,«<-  a.,,!  last,-  ai-l  ira.ii- 

""":■  '  'y"  '•'-"""-   "I'i'l     ,l„.  r,.M   „f   K„i:|,„,|   I.H.knl  at   rrmn 

.M.t.,,1...  MM,,  1,  MU,T,M,.,|   I.Mt   ,„,„.|,  |,M/./.l,.,l,  ,„■  kM..u   „m|v   I,v   traMsi..„, 

VMN.     Am,I  Oxf,,,,.  „.,  ,, ,,, ,  „„,  j„,|„„^  „,.  i,^  „^^_^  ^;   ,;  ^_^  ^^,^_^^^ 

..r  I  lor,.,,..,..  aM,|  l,k,.  tl,.„,  „  |,a,|  i,,  ,,,„„„  lasl,i„„s  .,f  ,,„|„v  ;  i,,  ,|,„,  . 
<Tat„.  („Mu..al„,„  a,,,!  ,,,  ,.|i^..r,  I,,.,  ;    i,,  „^.i,,|  r,„|,..    „;  ,|„.,i,,|i,,, 
-■v.T,.  „,  tl„..,ry    aM,|   M.Mally  lax  i„  la,-:  ;  „s  „.||-.,.,^  .^,,,.,1  |..„,i,  '   ,„.) 
.-..rpora,,,.,,.   „,,  MM   „..|f ;     i„   f,.,,„i..,  „„|   ,.„||„„„.   1,,^,.    „,., 
.>n.\      art.     „f  M„n.,.,... ;    „>  iM„.r„al  rival,„M  a„,l  ,li.,.,„.,l,  ;    i„  •■,,.,^" 

tl.   M„.r..„,a..v„t    r,.|,,.,:.„;    ,t    ,  lat, I    ,„   1„.  „   |,.„„„  „,•  , „,,,„■      _.„„j 

rd.K,,.M.  tra,nM„-         |,,„,m„m,    ,||,MMi„at„.   n.-a.        a   ..|ai,„    t,.„    ,.,t..u 
fiil>i(i,.,|  iM  tl„.  I,al.,i-  a„,l  t,.|ii|,,.r    ,,|' |if,.. 

DkanCii,  i(,  1,  :     'I'll,   IKrf.ml  M,„rm,„l;    pp.    |.-,i)-i,;o. 


r. 


4M 


ill.  jlf 


Urn. 


(■HAi"ii:i{  X 

NFWMAN's    nKVK.I.orMKNT    AMI    ITHSONAUTY 

N't'iviiijin'-  \:irii)ii-;  ii~|HM't^  Mirth  Mil  |.iirrntii(,'<-  -  Cliiirlf-*  an<l 
I'ViiTiii^  Niwiiiiiii  A  -i~tiT'-  ixirtriival  M\>li(:il  ic|ciili-<m  >i  IkhiI- 
(lii\~  His  iiiiucr^ion  'l"li(iin;i-  ~^i dtt  Williiilii  Liiw  lolili  Ni-w- 
toM  liiiprt  -.iDiiiilili'  vil  iiiilc|.cii.|i  lit  I'lisiiiuil  iiitliK  iM-r  'riic 
"Al")liiu'ia"  l'ir~l  Ovfnnl  pliii^i'  Smi  .■-,  ;imiI  fiiiliirr  I  >r 
\Vli;itil>  OnhniKMi  A|>iMMriiii<i-  ()|i|Mi-il(  (|ii.iliti.s  -  Dfcpcii- 
iiijr  -..litiiilc  AukIk-^mi  (  iiKiiii  111  .111.1  lliuli  Cliiinli  cluiiriiif  - 
DriMiiiiT  ii'iil  I  )iinin;itist  HIiiiici)  White  Hiiiril!  Frmnlr  Kilili- 
\.  .Miiiin's  |)rs-iMii-iii  llliKs,  jiiil  Ihii-,i\  rim  111  Hrcak  with 
l.ilifnilisiii  Kf\i\iili-iii  KniiiiiMiiii-iii  A|ipritl  tu  Aiiti<|uity 
AiiKciiilony  Dr.  lla'Akiii-  \iiiir  <>f  M .  Mary'-  I  )isa<;rc*-iii<iit  witli 
Hawkins  -  Tlir  An.iiis  N.uiiiuii  t-  a  pi<  adiiT  His  <(iiitiiiriital 
tour  -  \'isit  t(.  Naplc-.  U.itii>'  and  Sicily  liitliuiu.-  of  tiic  .dmrnty  — 
Interviews  with  Dr.  Wix'iiiati  —  Ni-wTiian's  illiii's-,       His  piiems. 


I 

!i 


Xfa\"M.\n' was  ;!!i  •'xnuplififMtioii  o'  lii-  own  (••intciitioii  that 
till'  sainc  ohjcct  may  he  vicwcil  l)\  \arioiM  (iIisitmts  imilcr 
sticli  tliflVrfiit  as|M'ct>  ;■  -  tu  make  tlicir  accounts  of  it  ajiiMwir 
more  or  lfs>  contradictor  'I'li  -.oinc  In-  was  tlic  rclifjion- 
pliiioMipluT,  tlic  I'a-'cal  of  liis  pcriixl ;  to  otilc^^  he  was  tlic 
jircat  doctor,  wliosc  work  on  the  Arians  would  l>c  read  and 
studied  hy  future  licneratious  a.s  a  nuHiel  of  its  kind.  To  a 
certain  type  of  admirers  he  was  the  -uiuri.  preacher,  the 
("hrysostoni  of  M.  Marv  >,  Oxford,  and  of  the  Oratories  of 
liroinpton  and  of  Kdirha-toii  ;  to  a  les-  favoraliie  yroup  he 
was  nothint;  inon  than  a  i  nniiiiii:  master  of  Kn;;lisii  pro>e, 
a  writer  of  incdmparalile  arti-tr\  and  seductive  charm,  wiio 
made  siren  W(»rd>  do  dtil>  for  rational  and  coherent  tiiink- 
iiifj.  Lonl  MorIe\,  from  wliom  wc  ipiotc,  ohserves  thai 
style    has   wiirkcd    man,\    a    miracle  hefore    now,   hut    uuiic 


»  1 


i  ( 


M 


I' I 


m  i]i 


I    ! 


t'l 


4-'i<)      TIIKKK    KKI.Kilois    MOADKUs   OF   oXKoui) 

.....n.  won.kTfnl  ,ha,.  N. .«,„.,„•>.'  AK'.in.  ....„■  assorttnl 
that  lus  kn.mKMlK,.  .,f  ,|„.  fir^t  .rnturirs  „f  Cluirch  history 
tntitl,..!  Iiini  t..  rank  ain....K'  tlu-  f..rcin..st  tv.l.-siastical  his- 

t..nans     wlulf    for   ap ^ists    a.i.l    .li>|„itants    Lis    merit 

lay  in  Ins  c.Mtn.versial  skill.     B„tl,  M,„|,.ri,ists  a.u!  Tradi- 
tionalists havi-  clainml  liini  as  tlu-ir  own.     Catholic    \njr|i. 
cans  TVM'Tv  his  proud  yot  in.la.uholy  nuniorx    hcaus,-  I,,, 
was  thnr  Kn-at  pk-a.ler  at  a  critical  moment  an.l  in  an  anoma- 
lous i.o.Mt,on.     IVrhaps  his  mo.t   notal.l.-  a.l.icvcnunt   was 
this:    that   he  actually  rai.scl   the   Koman  Communion  to 
which  he  s,.ce.le,|  ,mt  of  tlu^  contemptuous  misnn.ler.tand- 
uiK  an.l  deep  <lislike  of  his  countrvmcn  to  a  pla.c  in  their 
recojr,„t„.n.    if    not   esteem,   which    l,ef,.r,.    hi.    ap,xaran<'e 
wouKl  have  seemed  unattainable.     Hi..  pr,.,ence  in  the  mi<lst 
of  her  was  an  incal.nlal.le  lu-lp  t<.  tlu-   Roman   hierarchv 
which  <lid   not,    however,   fully   aj.pr.ciatc   his   value      The 
filct  that  the  most  brilliant  and  gifted  son  of  the  Church  of 
KiiKlaud  was  content  to  he  the  .  remite  of  Kdj;l,aston,  l.e- 
CHUse  of  his  exceeding  love  for  anti(,uitv  and  for  a  system 
they  had  desp,.se<l  and  rejecte.l,  never  cease.l  to  puz/l'e  an.l 
rhasteu  eager   IVotctants.      F„r  them   an<l   manv   l.oides 
.J..hn  Henry  .Newman  was,  and  still  is,  th.-  grand  enigma. 

n«'  was  horn  m  Old  Hroa.l  Street,  LmhIoii,  .m  the  I'Kt  of 

i;«'lTuary.    ISOl,  the  el.lest  of  si.x  chihiren.  three  sons  an.l 

time  daughters.     His  father,  John  Xewman.  a  hanker  in  that 

<ity,  IS  siKJ  to  have  traced  his  descent  from  the  .Xewmans 

who    were    small    lan.le.l    proprietors    of    Cambridgeshire. 

I  hey  .•laimed  I  hitch  extraction,  and  in  an  earlier  generation 

spHt  their  nam,-  '  Newinanu,"  a  form  which  has  giu  n  rise 

to  the  c<.nj,.cture  that  they  were  of  Hebrew  origin,  but  then- 

i<  no  conclusiv  evi,l,.n<e  that  such  was  the  case.     Although 

the  "Apologia"  is  silent  about  the  elder  Newman,  his  s.m's 

•  /••tter.  and  Corre>p<.ndence"  contain  numerous  and  affec- 

tionat.    references  to  him.     He  was  a    I'reemason  of  high 

•-^taiidmg.    a    man   of  tif   worl.l,    prosaic,   honest,   choleric. 

'  'Mi...-lln,i.-s",    (I'uiiitli  SiTics),  ,,.   Kil, 


it:        ll 


JOHN    IlKNUV    NKWMAN 


437 


entiTprisinK,  full  of  j^cmmI  st-iwe ;  animated  by  u  love  of 
justice  and  a  hatred  of  o|)pressioii  and  fraud.  Newman 
eulogized  liis  forlK'urance  and  generosity  as  a  father,  and 
while  the  son's  genius  was  all  liis  own,  he  inherited  from  him 
a  taste  for  classiial  music  and  an  exeelU-nt  eapaeity  for 
business. 

Like  another  famous  eontemi)orary,  James  Martineau, 
Newman  also  sprang  from  Huguenot  >to(k.  His  mother, 
Jemima  Fourdinier,  U'longed  to  the  Freneh  Protestant 
family  of  that  name  long  and  iionorably  established  in  Lon- 
don as  merchants.  For  her  he  (heri^li'd  a  filial  love, 
which  was  not,  however,  without  occasional  hkhhIs  of 
self-assertion  and  Hashes  of  an  exacting  dis|M)sition.  She 
had  some  i)art  in  his  earlier  religious  development,  Imt  was 
tem|K-ramentally  unable  to  follow  his  leadership  in  later 
days,  and  he  spoke  with  regret  of  the  din'ereiiees  on  reli- 
gious matters  which  separated  them,  and  tiiat  he  missed  the 
s\nipatliy  and  praise  she  could  not  conscientiously  In'stow.' 

Ilis  introduction  to  literature  began  wiiilc  listening  to  her 
reading  of  "The  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,"  and  when 
"Wavcrley  "  and  "(iuy  Maiuiering  "  ap|)eared,  he  s]H'nt 
tlic  early  hours  of  siuinner  mornings  in  lu-d  eagerly  devour- 
ing fhcni.  Scdtt  was  always  one  of  his  favorite  authors, 
i)Ut  the  Holy  .S(ri|)tures  were  his  constant  com|)anion  :  from 
the  dawn  of  his  understanding  he  was  trained  in  their  pre- 
ce])ts,  and  it  would  not  Ix-  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  he 
knew  tlie  liible  i>y  heart.  In  old  age  he  dcscrilu'd  in  beauti- 
ful and  pathetic  language  the  hold  it  had  upon  him  and  how 
iinpos>iblc  it  was  to  elude  or  even  lessen  the  sweet  influences 
of  thi'^,  lii-i  fir^t  and  la>t  treasured  [)<)ssession. 

.\  fleeting  giiiniix-  is  caught  of  liiin  as  a  child  playing  in 
Hli."ni>l)ury  .Spiare  with  young  Henjamin  Disraeli,  but 
iii>  l>e>t  fnienilHTecl  home  was  at  I  lam,  then  a  rural 
retreat,  near  Uiehruniid-dii-'rhames.  Its  charms  always 
lingered    in   liis   rccollectiuns,  and    in   his  eightieth   year  he 

l-.tiers  ;iii(l  ('.irris|.iiiiil,.iic,."      Vol.  II,  pp.  170-177. 


.1    11 


!?! 


■I 


111 


!  I!, 


f     ! 

II 
! 


i' 
ii. 


lii-i 


:  i^  i 


438      TIIKKK    KKLKJIOUS    LKADKUS   OK   OXKOltD 

wn.tr :   "  I  «lri'aim'<l  iihoiit  it  when  a  sclKM.Ihoy  as  if  it  were 
para.lisf.     It  would  !.<•  Ikt^  wIhtc  tlit-  aiiRt'l  fact's  apjM'aml 
•Ic.vfd    lon^r    since    l.iit    lot    awhile.'"     His    tw(,    brothers 
share.!  the  intciicctual  eii.i..wiiHiits  of  the  family,  hut  Charles 
Hohert.  win.  st..iMl  luxt  to  him  in  a^'e,  was  eccentric  to  the 
verf;e  of  insanity,  and  tiu'  purposes  ..f  his  life  were  .iefeated 
l)y  his  |HTs(.nal   hal.its.     IVancis  William,  the  youngest  (.f 
the  three,   had  a   more  Mictrssfnl   Mnderf;raduate  career  at 
()xf(.rd  than.I(.hn,ol.taininKa  donl.lc  first  class  in  IS2(i  and 
a  fell..wship  at  Halliol  in  the  same  year.     After  a  divcrsifie<l 
and  eventful  life  a>  a  missionary  in  iVrsia  and  pn.fissor  in 
several  schoc.is,  he  was  appc.iuted  to  the  chair  ..f  Latin  in 
I  niversity  dAU-^v,  L..n<ion.  where  lie  remained  from   l,S4»i 
to  l.SdO,  an  extended  tenure  durinj;  wlii<h  his  ver.sitilitv  in 
writuiK'  <"'  uiany  and  .litfcrent  th.-mes  attracted  wide  atten- 
tion.    Some  ..f  these  w.-re  ..f  such  an  erudite  or  fantastic 
nature  as  to  defy  |...pular  apprehensi(.n.     He  was  a  much 
nustmderst(M.d  and  «lisa|)poinled  man,  wliosi-  life  and  w<.rk 
were  in  striking  contrast  to  those  (.f  his  eldest  l.rother.     The 
one  .irifted  toward  the  shelter  of  an  infallihle  dojrma,  the 
other    toward    the    tetnjM-stuous    seas   of   .louht.       Carlyie 
spoke  kin.lly  of  Francis  as  "an  ardently  inquirin>r  soul,"  of 
fine  university  and  other  attainments,  of  shariM-uttinn  rest- 
lessly advancing;  int.'ilect,  and  the  mildest  pi..us  enthusiasm 
wh<.se  worth,  sin.r  Letter  known  to  all  the  w.rld.  .Sterling 
UKhly  estunated."  '     Of  the  thrc..  listers  the  vhU.t,  Harriet 
Khzaheth,    marri.-.l    Thoma.    M../ley,    the    author    ..f    the 
"  Hennnisceiurs,"  a  work  n.vc^sary  t(.  students  of  Newman  ; 
the   sec.nd,   Jemima    <harlotte,    married   .l..hn    .Mo/lev   c.f 
Dcrl.y  ;   and  the  third  an.l  favorite  M>ter,  Marv  Sophia,  "did 
umnarried  in  ISL'S. 

Harriet's  [M.rtrayal  ..f  .John  Henry  as  a  vounjr  man.  while 
sIk.wuik  ■•>  sister's  partiality,  is  si>r,n(icant  and  candid.  He 
was  mchne.1  to  he  philosophical,  ol.servant,  con>iderate 
of    others,    dainty    in    his   tastes,   and   extremely   shy;    iiis 

'  "Lifi' iif   luliii  Slcrlim;"  ,    p    Is) 


li-i.  .  H. 


JOHN    IIKNKV    NKWMAN 


439 


views  wtTf  iiKMlrrutf,  lii>  jiKlnmnit-^  iiu'ii>iirnl,  liis  n-pml  for 
trutli  ul)M>lutt'.  Social  iiit«T<(»iir>«'  of  uny  kind  l)or('(l  him, 
iiiiil  his  (li>hk«'  of  praisf  or  hiaiiu'  iii<lu(»'(i  him  to  practin-  an 
iimisiial  ri'st-rvi'  whidi  hid  cvt-ii  from  lii-<  pan-iits  the  fact, 
not  witlmiit  its  pathos,  that  tiic  mmi  hvcd  in  another  world 
than  tlicirs.  (mmI  intended  him,  a>  he  supposed,  to  1h-  lonely, 
aiul  his  mind  wa>  s(<  framed  that  he  was  in  a  larp-  measure 
U'voiid  the  reach  of  tiioM  around  him.  lie  found  consola- 
tion in  music,  and  In-camc  >o  proficient  on  the  violin  that 
Thomas  Mozley  assures  u>  he  would  have  eipialed  I'apiniui 
had  he  not  iHcome  a  doctor  of  the  Church. 

I  lis  reveries  l)ennised  him,  a  ^en>e  of  thin>;s  ethereal, 
subtle,  remote,  haunted  him  ;  he  loved  to  surrender  himself 
t<>  \a^;ue  and  fornde^s  iina;;inin;;> :  unknown  iullueiices, 
maf;i<id  powers  and  ailumhrations  entranced  his  youtiifnl 
spirit,  lie  lay  pa---'ive  ami  luxuriant  in  their  emhrace  while 
they  wafterl  him  to  an  uiuht  realm,  wiicrein,  a>  he  says  —  "  I 
tiiou^ht  life  mi^ht  l)e  a  dream. or  !  an  annel,  and  all  the  world 
a  dece|)tion,  my  fellow  anpU  1>,\  a  jilayful  device  concealing 
themselves  from  me,  and  deceiving'  me  with  tlie  M-mMaiKV 
of  a  material  world."  '  This  pe^■^na^ion  of  the  illusory 
nature  of  sensible  phenomena  came  eari.v  in  hi-  life  and  per- 
sisted to  its  cloM'.  lb-  inoMil  freely  in  the  hniiic  and  the 
social  circle,  contributiuL'  to  their  plra>urc  h\  hi-,  accoin- 
|)lishments,  but  alwa\  -  -cparatrd  fmiu  tiiem  \>\  ;iii  imi>onder- 
able  barrier.  I'or  the  monieni  in  the-c  tiling'-,  lie  wa--  ne\er 
of  them.  Like  an  occasional  \i>itant  from  mmoiIht  -phere, 
who  minht  choose  at  iiitcr\als  to  dwell  mioni;  appt  annices  as 
unsubstantial  a-  hi-  own  c\i)cricncc  wa-  \i\idl>  real,  yet 
without  beinj:  deceived  by  them  or  caiiituiatini.'  to  tlieir 
charms,  so  Newman  cainc  and  went.  Life  cvcrvwherc  hid 
l)eneath  its  delu-ion-  -ometliinu'  luttir  to  Ih'  i;ained.  Thi- 
nearness  to  the  in\i-ible  arou-ed  hi-  -nper-titiou-  fear-,  and 
he  stiites  that  for  -oiiic  linu'  prc\  ion-  to  hi-  conversion  he  u-id 
ct)iistanll\  to  <ross  him-cif  on  j;oini;  into  the  dark.' 

'  ■•  \|M.l..Kia'\    p.  ^.  »  /'.-./     !•    - 


i  I 


/! 


ill  'i 


^  r,'^ 


III 


:  J 


"■    iT 


i.     • 


ilii 


440      TIIKKK    UKhKilors    LKADKItS   OK   OXMHtD 

At  tlif  HKf  of  M.\,.|i  hf  was  phurd   in  a   private  aca.l.'niv 
at  KaliiiK  <uii.lii<t.d  on  Kton  lin.s  In    I>r.  (Jt-orKi-  Nicholas. 
Thomas  Hnxl.-y.  whoM- fatluT  was   a    tutor  thm-.    was  also 
a  later   |>iipil.  and   tiic   hi>;h    npiitation   of   tlu-   school   was 
incrcaM-.]  I.y  the  fact    that    it    hcl|K'(|    to   sha|K"   the   lives   of 
two  sii.h   eiitini.N    .liUVrent   ni.-n  as   Mnxiey  and    Xewnian. 
Although  he  showed  no  interest  in  the  favorite  jnirsiiitsof  his 
comimnions,  his  character  ami  ^ifts  mk.ii  .licited  their  esfeem 
an.l  confi.hii.r.     He  was  of  a  studious  turn  an.l  .piick  appre- 
hension, and   Dr.  .\ichohis,  to  whom  he  U'caiue  ^'reatly  at- 
tached, was  accustomed  to  say  that  no  hoy  had  run  from  the 
l)ottou.  to  the  top  of  the  sch«.ol  as  ra|)i.lly  as  John  .Newman. 
Still  he  lost  something  I.y  not  h,-inK  a  j.ul.lic  school  man, 
for,  whde  he  a<<|uin-d  an  accurate  knowle.|>;c  of  mathemat- 
ics, he  was  deficient  in  Latin.     II,-  u.s<-.|  to  r.->;ar.|    with  ad- 
miration tlu-  fa.-ile  and  elep.nt  cnstruiiiK  which  a  pupil  of 
very  ordinary  talents  would  hrin^  with  him  from  the  sixth 
form  of  Ku^dn  ,.r  Winchester;   yet  he  as>isted  in  ren.lerinK 
the  (.lays  of  Terence  which   wen-  frecpientlv  pveii  at  the 
scho,,I,  an.l  act.-d  the  parts  of  Dav.is  in  th.-  "Andria"  an.l  of 
r.ythias  in  th.-  ••  Kimuchus."     II,.  wr..t.-  l...th  pn.se  an.l  v,-rse 
with  j;rac,>  and   M.xil.ility ;    at   first    he   imitat.-d    .\.l.lison ; 
later  Johnson's  soiH.rous  r..l|  .-oiild  In-  d,.t.-,t,-.|  in  his  eff.irts  • 
then  th..  stat.ly  .a.Un.-.-s  of  (;il,l,„n  nianif.-stlv  am-,-te.I  him  ' 
finally  he  f..und  hims,lf,  an.l  U-jian  to  sh.,w  tra.rs  .,f  that 
artisti.-  c,.nstru<tion  wlan-in  I.y  j.racti.r  his  stvl,-  h,.came  s,. 
nearly  iM-rf,-,t,  so  complet,-,  as  t..  suffi.r  for  the  jH-rmaneiur 
of  his  works. 

His  pr,-t,-rnatural  r,-li^:i..usn,.ss  was  ^n-atlv  ,stiiiiulat.-.l 
j.ft.T  .„-  matriculat.-.!  at  ()xf..r.l  l,y  his  .-onversion.  ..f  whi.h 
he  says  in  tlu-  "  Aj,olo;;ia,"  "  I  am  still  more  .vrtain  than  that 
I  l'"vc  t.an.ls  or  f.rt."  .Xft.-r  s.-v.-nty  y,-ars  ha.l  elaps,..|  it 
was.hffunlt  for  him  t..  r.-ali/.-  his  .•,mtlnu...is  i.lcntitv  l.,.fore 
'•«'d  i«ft.r  AuKtist  IS.  isir,.'  Th.-  Mi.l.hn  upru>h  and  con- 
summati..!!  ..f  .-ontmuou.  pr.Krss.--,  whi.h  .lr.-w  s..  dear  a  lin.- 

''  '-••Iturs  1111(1  ('iirri's|)<iniU'ii(('"  ,    p.  H). 


i   I 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWM.W 


441 


bt'twt't'ii  tlu'  two  imtIimIs  is  iliMn-.M't|  til  Icnjftli  in  tin-  "Aixilo- 
jjiii":  "I  fell  iiiiilci-  tin-  iiidiifiiii's  «if  ii  (Icfiiiitr  Crfi-i!,  ami 
rtHH'ivt'd  iiitn  my  iiittllfct  imprt'^^iinis  of  ilnjiriia,  svliicli, 
throiiKli  ("Mrs  iiHTcy,  liavf  lu-viT  Imtii  «'U"a(H-<l  or  (ihsciin-il. 
AImivc  uikI  Im-voikI  tilt-  coincrsatioiis  ami  stTiiiuiis  nf  tlu* 
i'x»rllt'iit  man,  Iniijj  ilrail,  tlic  Ht-vrrnul  WaltiT  Mayors,  of 
IVmhrokr  <'ollf>;<',  Oxfonl,  who  was  tin-  liuman  im-ans  of 
this  iMniimiiij;  of  (lis  im-  faith  in  me,  wa>  th-  vWvit  of  tin-  hooks 
which  ho  put  into  my  hands,  all  of  tlu>  scIkmiI  of  ('ah in. 
Ota-  of  the  first  IxMiks  I  read  was  a  work  of  l{omain""s; 
I  m-itlur  r«'collt'<t  tin-  title  nor  the  (H>nt«'iit>,  cxci-pt  oncdoc- 
trinr,  which  of  j-oiirs*'  I  do  not  inchuh-  amonu  those  which  I 
iH'lievf  to  have  come  from  a  divine  source,  viz.,  the  doctrine  of 
final  jx-rseverancc.  I  received  it  at  once,  and  believed  that 
the  inward  con\»rsioii  of  which  I  was  conscious  would  last 
into  the  next  life,  and  that  I  was  electcil  to  eternal  (,''"0- 
I  have  no  consciousness  that  this  iMlief  had  any  tendency 
whatever  to  lead  me  to  he  careless  ahout  |)leasinj;  (JckI. 
T  retained  it  till  the  a^e  of  twentyndie,  when  it  >;ratlually 
faded  away ;  hut  I  helieve  that  it  had  xnne  inHueruv  on  my 
opinions,  in  the  direction  of  those  cliildi-<h  imaginations  which 
I  have  already  mentioned,  viz.,  in  i>n!atin;,'  me  from  the  oli- 
jects  whicii  surroiimled  me,  in  <(>n(irmin^  me  in  my  mistrust 
of  the  reality  of  material  jjiienomena,  and  making;  me  rest  in 
the  thoii>;ht  of  two  and  two  only  altsohite  and  huninously 
self-<vident  hcin>;s,  inys«'lf  and  my  Creator."  '  This  account 
of  his  intnost  »'X|HTiences  is  im|M)rtant  for  M-vcnd  reasons. 
It  unveils  the  secret  motives  iind  as|)irations  which  he  felt 
and  fav(>re<l  at  this  jimcture  ;  it  shows  tliat  from  adolescence 
onwanl  his  iiitcllci  lual  life  wa>  as  full  of  contrasts  as  his 
emotional,  and  that  hi^  cx<t-sive  scn>ihility  was  the  explana- 
tion at  once  of  liis  frailty  and  his  ^tnii^'tli.  Kvcn  in  the 
inonu-nt  of  their  real  awakening,  his  rclijjious  instincts  found 
other  than  normal  outlets.  In  lii^  comparison  of  the  impres- 
sive change  which  su}HTVencd  in  him  with  other  remarkable 


^ 


fl 


I' 

I;  111 
ill' I 


1 1 

1, 


IliM 


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\V2     TIIHKK    UKM«;|(»I  s   I.kadkks  ok   oXKuUfl 

IHTM.iml    tAiMTi.iKvs    wliich     .IfiiKMisjratnl     Cliristianity'H 
rfuciuraliritr   .■ir.vtivni.>,.    \».   w,|,    rar.fiil     f..     ,tatr     timt 
Ills    nwii     ha.l    ii.MM-    ..(•    th.ir    >|MTial    .liara.t.ri^tirs.     It 
was  witli.Mit  vi.iKiit  f.rlii,^:    h,    ,|i,|    „..t    |)a>.   thri.ii);li   ilu- 
|)rrs,.rilH(l    Mams   .,f    .•,mvi.ti.„i    „(    >\u,    t.Tn.r.    .Ir>pair. 
iiiul  acvptaiKv  ..f    a    fr.v  aii.l    riill    salvation    f.,||,m«-.|    l,y 
joy    aii.l    iM-acr.     His   .iiiMJi.Mi,    u.rr    ixciiliar   to    liims»-|f. 
Wliilr   la-   cuMM.Irn.l   that    li.'  ua-  |>n-.|.sii,u(|  to  wlvatioii, 
his    iniial  .li.l   not    ,|«.l|    n|>on    thr    phrral    fatr    of    maii- 
kin.l.  hut   only    npnn    tlir    in.-n  y    .lisplavf.l    fowani    hiin- 
s<'lf.       ln<l(T.|.    normal    Kvanpli.aN    ilonlitcl    wli.tluT    In- 
lia.l  iM-rn  rrpiHTatcl  at  all,  anil  wlun  in   |sj|   h,-  trii-.l  to 
wriir  a  .Irs.riplion  of  thr  inuar.ln.-,^  ..f  tin,  n-ality  la-  a<!.lr<l 
in  a  note,  "I  ,|Mak  of  ,onvir>ion  with  ^t.  at  dillid.iMf.  U-injc 
<'l)Iip-«i  to  ailopt  the  lan^'nap-  of  InM-ks.     Mx   own  f.-rlitiK's. 
IIS  far  as  I  can  rrnii-nilMT.  wen-  so  .liUVrnit  fn-m  iin\  accoiirit 
1  liasr  rv.r  r.a.l.  that   I  darr   not  jro  l.y  u|,at    in'av  U-  an 
individual  ca-c"  ' 

To  the  iirisophisti.atrd  hrlicv.r,  triuMi|>hant  in  a  ncwhoru 
realization  of  hi,  fTsonal  Saviour,  a  lopcallv  roh.T.-nt 
doK'tnatic  sv.t.in  mi,  h  as  N.-uinan  a..rpt..|  i>.  for  thr  tiiiu- 
Imiiih,  a  M-condary  <on-id.Tafion.  In  th<-  words  of  Thomas  a 
K.inpiv.  tlw  M.ul  uhi.  h  has  |„,,rd  thr  Ktrrnal  Voicv  is  ,1,- 
livrn'.l  from  it,  opinion,;  th.'  ^:^■atn<•ss  which  i,  from  al.ovc 
d<K-.  not  >iM-nd  its  first  str.i.irth  on  micIi  detail,.  The  avowe.l 
al),ence  in  him  of  .-..nvi.tion  of  ,in  and  of  the  eonsecpient 
•  iirai.tured  ,en,e  of  d.  liv.raiar  from  ,in  deeix-ns  the  mvs- 
teryof  ila-  proces,.  |t  wa,  an  iidlux  of  divine  life,  lait 
that  hf.-  appears  to  have  Imtii  convey.'.!  throiijrh  .•hann.ls 
unknown  t<.  th.-  t'eneral  .-ons.-ionsness  of  Christians  re- 
s|M-(-tin-  th.ir  .•onversion.  if  in  this  .-ru.-ial  hour  sii.-li 
was  \.-wman"s  ,a,.-.  it  luiiy  h.-lp  t..  .-\plain  his  .-onstant 
en.h-avor,  to  .l.-f.-nd  his  faith.  Mort  r.-mark.-.l  of  him.  X 
iiK-n-  inspirinir  t.a.h.-r  it  would  I..-  .lifii.-ult  to  find,  hut  tlu- 

'  W.llrnl  Ward        riK-  Uiv  .,i  ./„lm  H,-„rv  C^.r.li,,.!  \.-w,„.„,'' ;    V„l    1, 


!• 


W 


llti,: 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWMAN 


4?:J 


|Mi\vtT  iif  liuililiiiK  <>l>  ^^i<^  '■"'  *'■>*  "f  III"  KiCt''-  '  "CtTtaiiily, 
iMHiks  with  a  Mystciii  aiNiiitiil  in  lii^  work,  l>ut  he  iI<h-h  tidt  ticcii 
iniicl)  |irf><>iiif;  tn  make  liim  ailinit  thr  «'>M-iitial  lirittlfiif^s 
and  «iMitinnni(y  of  (Imm-  nri>\i>i(iiial  strn<tiirr»."  '  His 
Mirvry  of  <li\iiu-  tliiii^rs,  iN'^rnn  with  niiuh  a|i|>ari-nt  i-itiifi- 
ih-n<r,  is  (iftni  shaili>\^<Mi  In  rtflrrtioiis  that  what  ha-^  Ih-cii 
Slid  i>  "liiit  a  dD-ani,  the  waiiton  cxtTciM',  rathiT  than 
thi-  |ira<ti(al  (fan  hi-^inn^  nf  the  inti'llc<t."  "Snch."  hr 
(KntiiiiH's,  "i>  thf  fi«'hii>;  <>f  niind>  nnscrM-d  in  th«'  disa|>- 
pointnitnts  nf  the  world,  iniTt'dnlitn^  how  nnich  it  has 
of  |)roini-< ,  how  littlr  of  >nli>iani'«' ;  what  intriiaiy  aial 
ciaifu^ion  Im'mI  the  na>-t  «<rtain  truths ;  how  inmh  nin^t  Ik- 
tak»'n  on  tni>t  in  ordtr  to  Im'  |Mi>M^M'd  ;  how  little  ran  U- 
realized  except  li.\  an  elt'ort  of  the  will;  iiow  );reat  a  |iart  of 
4'njoynient  lies  in  re-<i>;nation.  "  '  Thi^  reaMaiinj;  i>  aeinpt- 
ahle  to  thoM-  n[>ward  ^trivin^  men  of  whom  Matthew  Ariaild 
s|H'aks,  who  walk  hy  ^i^'iit  and  ia>t  l>.\  faith,  yet  have  rat  o|M'n 
\isiiai.  lint  it  plays  a  minor  part  in  that  warm  certitude 
whieli  is  the  priHlnct  of  living'  faith  in  the  re\clati(ai  of  the 
l,ord  .lesus  ('hri>t. 

In  ^nmmar\,  a>achilil  New  man  felt  with  nini^nal  intensity 
the  MMiM-  of  the  pre>ence  of  (lod.  He  lia^  alrcailv  lold  ns 
in  solemn  and  mwnioralile  ]>hrases  of  the  moment  when 
the  still  p<H)l  within  \\\->  heart  lieciunc  a  living  fountain, 
divinely  thrilh-d  liy  the  spiritual  (|uickcnin>;  which  hiended 
his  innermost  Ikmu};  with  the  lo\c,  tia-  onmipoten<'e,  aial  the 
nearness  of  the  Almi^hf  \ .  Kver  after\vard>  this  event  was 
a  ruling  factor  in  hi"-  relii;iou-<  iittainiin-nt^,  hut  the  c^M-nce 
of  the  (ios|mI  of  Redemption  did  not  x'cm  to  lie  luminou-'  to 
his  apprehension. 

AinoiiK  other  writers  who  eontrihutcd  to  his  spiritual 
welfare  was  'I'homa'^  '^lott.  the  conunentator,  of  A^tiai  San- 
ford,  "to  whom"  hi'  a\  erred.  "humanl.\  Npcakini:  I  almost 
owe  m\   soul."     Scott,  who  had  hecn  won  from  Sociniaiiism 


■  l.ili'   :iu\    l.lMi'l- 

Miiiii  Mr.  'iiiiinl 
■|'r..|.liiii.:,l  nf!i, 


\..l    II.  |.    IJl 

riir    M\-li'I>    •i|    \i'«tn.lll'     ,     |i 

l.i'.lui.-  \I\".  IM..  :!'.!.'   .I'.t.i. 


:i:(iP, 


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MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION    TEST   CHART 

lANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2< 


1.0 


I.I 


i  ^  IS 

11  1.8 


1.25 


1.4 


1.6 


^     .APPLIED  IIVMGE     Inc 


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all 


i 


';! 


444     THUKK    llELIOIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 

by  John  Xcwton,  the  frion<l  .,f  (\,wper,  denied  and  abjured 
the   "(letestable  doctrine "  of  predestination,  and   planted 
deep  in  Newman's  mind  "  that  fundamental  truth  of  reunion 
a  zealous  faith  in  the  iloly  Trinity."     Law's  "Serious  ('all'' 
eonvniced  him  of  the  relentless  warfare  between  the  powers  of 
liflht  and  those  of  darkness,  and  he  took  for  granted  the  hard- 
and-fast    dualism  which  was    afterwards    injurious    to    his 
mterpretation  of  life.'     The  doctrine  of  eternal  rewards  and 
pumshments  he  accepted  with  full  inward  assent,  as  delivered 
by  our  Lord  Himself,  though  he  tried  in  various  ways  to 
soften  the  truth  of  endless  retribution  so  that  it  woJld  be 
less  terrible  to  his  apprehension.     He  made  his  first  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Fathers  throuKh  the  long  extracts  from  St. 
Augustine  and  St.  Ambrose  given  in  Joseph  Milner's  Church 
History.     Simultaneously  with  these,  of  which  he  was  nothing 
short  of  enamoure.1,  he  read  Newton's  '^  "Dissertations  on  the 
Prophecies,"  and  became  firmly  convinced  that  the  Pope  was 
the  Antichrist  predicted  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  ami  also  bv 
St.  Paul  and  St.  John.     He  complains  of  his  imagination 
being  "stained  by  the  eflects  of  this  doctrine  up  to  the  vear 
1843 ;  It  had  been  obliterated  from  my  reason  and  judgment 
at  an  earlier  date ;  l)ut  the  thought  remained  upon  me  as  a 
sort  of  false  conscience."  " 

■  We  have  already  noted  the  extent  of  Law's,  iiifluenee  over  Gibbon,  Wcs- 

1      '.""    'i^"  '''f  ""''"•  ""■»  :    '♦  '«  interestinK  to  observe  that  Dr.  .Johnson 

also  testified  to  the  „ower  of  that  writer.      - 1  l«eame."  he  says,  referring  t 

h  .,  early  y.mth       a  sort  of  lax  talker  against  religion.   .   .   .  and  this  lasted 

till  I  went  to  f)xford.  where  it  would  not  l)e  suffered.      When  .'.t  Oxford    I 

'""Vh'l     T  '    ''""'"u   ''""  '"  •■'  ""'■'•  ^'f"''  •■^l«"-'i»R  tofind  ita.Iull  book, 
as  surh  books  generally  are,  an.l  perhaps  to  laugh  at  it.     Hut  I  found  Law 

inJ-,rl"  T1"'''T     ''""  ";*"•   ';"''  '^''  ""^  """  ^"''  "••••='«'""  "f  "'V  thinking 
in  e.irneM    of  n.ligion.   after  I    iK-oanu    eapable  of  national  en,,uirv  .   .     '• 

tron,  this  tune  forward,"  adds  Hoswell,  •'religion  was  the  r.redotninant 

He  much  coniniendod  Law's    '.Serious    Call," 

-t  piece  of  hortatory  theoloK.v  in  any  language." 

iison";    Kverynian's  Library,  Vol.  I.  pp.  .'52  :«. 

one  of  the  favorite  authors  of  Richard  Hurrell 


object  f>f  his  thought, 
which  he  said  was  the  fitir' 
(lioswell's  "Life  of  Dr. 
and  :«»().)      Law  was  al^., 
Froude. 


n-honias  Vewton.  17(lt  ITSL',  Bishop  of  Hristol  and  Dean  of  .St.  Paul's 
London,  In  1 , .. »  ho  lost  his  father  and  his  wife,  and  distracted  his  grief  bv' 
composing  these  Dissertations. 

'  ".XpoloKia"  ;    p.  7. 


JOHN    HKNUV    NKWMAN 


445 


From  the  moment  that  Xcwmaii  ontt-ml  Oxford  his  life 
continued  to  he  in  the  main  the  record  of  a  series  of 
varied  influences  poured  into  his  iiijihly  receptive  nature. 
His  vigorous  and  expamhiiK  inteMect  displayed  an  unusual 
aptitude  for  imhibing  the  thoughts  and  ideas  of  others. 
This  unique  impressionability  hati  an  unfortunate  bearing 
on  his  course  both  as  an  un<lergraduate  and  a  fellow  of  the 
University.  It  was  the  cause  of  tliat  perpetual  modification 
or  relinquishment  of  principles  which  has  fastened  upon  a 
man  of  commendable  motives  the  reputation  for  fickleness 
and  vacillation.  The  .successive  formations  of  his  beliefs 
resembled  the  accumulating  deposits  of  an  alluvial  soil. 
Yet  as  the  strata  underneath  tiie  soil  remain  stable,  so 
despite  his  hospitality  toward  dilferent  views  Newman 
retained  a  steady  and  fixed  individuality.  "Perhaps," 
says  Mrs.  Mozley,  "no  man,  passing  through  a  course  of 
change,  ever  remained  more  substantially  the  same  through 
the  lapse  of  years  and  revolution  of  circumstances  and 
opinions."  '  He  selected  from  the  instructions  and  advices 
he  received  those  elements  which  seemed  necessary,  and,  this 
done,  he  did  not  hesitate,  in  many  instances,  to  discard  the 
mentor.  "John,"  observed  his  sister,  "can  be  the  most 
amiable,  the  most  generous  of  men ;  he  can  make  people 
passionately  devoted  to  him.  But  to  become  his  friend  the 
condition  sine  (/ua  nou  is  to  see  everything  with  his  eyes  and 
to  accept  him  as  guide."  - 

In  a  University  sermon  preacluHJ  on  January  22,  1832,  he 
dealt  with  persona!  influence  as  the  means  of  disseminating 
truth.  Commenting  on  the  text  "Out  of  weakness  were 
made  strong,"  he  asked,  how  came  it  that,  notwithstanding 
persecution,  those  who  first  proclaimed  the  Christian  dis- 
pensation gained  that  lodgment  in  the  world  which  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  day,  enabling  them  to  perpetuate  princi- 
ples distasteful  to  the  majority  even  of  those  who  professed  to 

'  "IjetUTM  and  Correspondonrp  of  Jolin  Henry  Nowniiin"  ;   Vol.  I,  p.  1. 
>  Fraucis  Ncwmuu;   "The  liarly  Liiu  of  ("larles  Newman"  ;  j).  72. 


i 


i 


44H     THREE    RELIOIOrs   LEADKKs   OK   OXFORD 


J     ,i 


f    I 


rfctivc  tlu'iu?  The  iinswcr  was  tliat  tlic  fvan^el  ovorc-ame 
the  vast  obstacles  coiifrontiiig  it,  not  hccauso  it  was  upheld 
by  a  system,  or  by  books,  or  by  arf;iiment,  or  by  any  tem- 
poral power,  l)iit  l)y  a  few  liijilily  endowed  spirits  who  slione 
intlie  reflected  li^rht  of  Christ's  perfect  life,  and  communi- 
cated their  radiance  to  lesser  luminaries.  Tiiey  were  enough 
to  carry  on  (lod's  noiseless  work,  and  their  successors  in 
holy  character  and  service  rescued  the  generations  that 
followed.' 

Newman  was  a  first-class  example  of  transmitted  influ- 
ence; both  receiving  it  himself  and  imparting  it  to  others, 
sometimes  inexplicably,  almost  always  with  unusual  facility 
and  leaveniiifi  power.  Although  this  readiness  hindered 
him  fr.  n  dealing  adetpiately  with  many  scattered  facts  and 
discriminations  1\  ing  beyond  the  ran:,'e  even  of  his  percipient 
spirit,  it  contributed  to  the  fecundity  of  a  heart  rarely 
equaled  for  its  skill  in  contemplating  those  outflowing 
tides  from  the  Supreme  Being,  which  men  call  life  when  they 
rise  in  us,  and  death  when  they  ebl)  again  to  Ilim. 

The  "  Apologia  "  is  an  acknowledged  masterpiece  of  literary 
portraiture.  ( "ertain  passages  in  it  are  of  the  highest  quality ; 
the  chi.racterizations  are  as  fine  and  close  as  need  be ;  bold 
and  pitilessly  outright.  Its  self-revelation  and  self-criticism 
show  much  candor  and  strength,  mingled  with  a  delicate 
evasiveness  or  an  eloquent  silence  about  stmie  perscms  and 
events  which  betrays  the  author's  feelings  toward  them.  A 
wholly  detached  and  disinterested  observation  of  his  own 
career  was  hardly  to  be  expected,  indeed,  was  not  within  his 
power,  yet  the  volume  is  of  primary  imjjortance  for  those 
who  would  understand  how  this  raw  bashful  youth,  who  at 
first  seemed  likely  to  dwarf  his  mental  stature  through 
diffidence  and  modesty,  was  rescued  from  his  extreme  reti- 
cence and  an  overweening  anxiety  to  guard  against  solecisms. 
He  began  his  first  phase  at  Oxford  as  an  ardent  Calvinistic 
Evangelical,  with   a   rcproii  liful  and  pensive  view  of   life 

'  Oxford   University  Seriuoiis  ;    pp.  7J-97. 


JOHN    lli;\l{V    NKWMAX 


44; 


which  drew  him  away  Inmi  traM>iti)rv  tliiii);>  towanl  an  exclu- 
sive concern  for  tlic  spiritual  >i(le  of  c\i>teiice.     Tlie  I  niver- 
sity  of  which  he  afterwanls  became  an  avatar  was  steeped  in 
the  traditions  of  imniemorial  j;eiuTatii)tis.     Its  guarded  and 
venerable  precincts  rci)reM'ntcil  dignity,  wealth,  and  undis- 
puted  place.     Its  history   embraced   the   hot    issues  of  his 
own  and  opposite  creeds.     Tlx'  romance  of  its  yesterdays 
had  not  infrequently  i)ec«>nic  the  reality  of  its  to-morrows. 
.Schoolmen  and  Medievali>ts,  Roman  ("atholics  and  Protes- 
tants.   Humanists    and    High    <  Imn  inncn.    .\nglicans    and 
ruritai\s,  in  turn   had   contril>utcd   to  the   intellectual   and 
moral  atmosphere  which  wa>  now  Newman's  vital   breath. 
Although  his  scholarly  attainments  were  nothing  remark- 
able, —  indeed  he  was  ncx'cr  noted  for  cxtensixt'  or  profound 
learning,  —  yet    his    first    tutor  at    Trinity,   the    Hevereiul 
Thomas  .Short,  formed  a  lii!;h  o])inion  of  his  abilities,  and 
encouraged  him  to  eomi)ete  tor  the  only  academic  distiiu-tion 
he  w(m  as  an  undergrailuate,  a  scholarship  of  sixty   pounds, 
tenable  for  nine  years.     This  proved  a  timely  assistance,  for 
in  the  following  year,  lM!t,  tlie  bank  in  wiiich  his  father  was 
a  partner  suspended  payment,  and  although  all  obligations 
were  met,  their  discharge  crijjplcd  the  resources  of  the  family. 
Not^hing  remained  but  his  mother^  jointure.     In  these  de- 
clining fortunes  Newman  read  tiic  call  to  a  higher  and  more 
congenial  profession  than  that  of  the  law,  for  which  he  had 
actually  been  preparing,  having  kejjt  a  few  terms  at  Lincoln's 
Inn.'     The  h)ss  of  opportunity  in  other  (piarters  naturally 
increased  his  anxiety  to  do  well  in  the   final   Tniversity  ex- 
amination;   the  result  was  further  disaster.     It  was  scarcely 
surprising  that,  altliough  he  had  passed  with  credit  liis  first 
examination,   a   youth    not   yet   twenty   should   have  fallen 
short  in  his  ett'orts  to  win  the  higlic>t  honors.     He  was  below 
the  average  age  of  candidates  for  the  15. A.  degree;    he  had 
read  too  discursively  and  wa>  unal)le.  in  the  time  that   re- 
mained, to  remedy  the  deiicieney.     Ilis  energies  were  never 
'  Thomas  Muzloy  :   "  ]{i.'iiiiuijc'i'nr(.'>"  ;    Vul.  1,  [j,  10. 


';  i 


448     TIFHKK    KKI.KIIOUS    LKADKRS  OF   OXFORD 

more  (lili^Tfiitly  i-nii)l..y,.,|.  I,„t  tJu-y  w(-n>  ii.is.lircctc.l      He 
worke.!   f.  til,.   p.,i„t  of  ..xluM.sti.m,  iu..!.   I.cini;  ,-aiK..l   up 
eJirluT  tl.i.n  1...  .•xp,.,(,-.l.  was  .-..nipdlnl.  ulW  nu.kiii-  sure 
of  his  ,  ewree,  t..  retire  .•,lt..i;etl,er.     "  My  uerves,"  l,,-  wrote t., 
us  father,   "(nnte   tnrs„„k   me,  an.l    I   failed."     \Mu.„  the 
hstswere  pi.hh>he.l  his  uan.e.h.l  .i,.t  appear  on  the  u.athe- 
niatieal  si.h-  of  the  paper,  a.i.I  ii.  clashes  it  was  found  in  the 
lower  .livision  of  tlie  seeond  class  whicli  went  l.v  the  contemp- 
tuous tern.   ..f  "utxler  the   hne."     Anxious   to   ren.ain   at 
Ux  ord    he  n>ceived  privat,-  pupils  an.l  read  for  a  fellowship 
at  Onel,  then  the  <enter  of  the  intellectnali.ni  of  the  Tuiver- 
sity.     The  eo\cted  c  Ic,  tion  was  won  exactlv  a  vear  after  his 
griuluation,  on  the  12rh  of  April.  1sl'i>.  a  day  which  he  ever 
felt  the  turniuK  pomt  <,r  |,i.  |if,.  ;nid  ,,f  all  .lays  most  m.'mo- 
rable.      "  It  raise.1  him,"  he  .ay.,  writin-  in  th.-  third  perso,,, 
trom  obscurity  and  need,  to  couipctcncv  and  n-putation 
He  never  wished  aiiythin-  hotter  or  hi-her  than  'to  live  and 
die  a  FeHow  of  Oriel-  and  he  was  constant  all  through  his 
lite  m  his  thankful   rememl.rance  of  this  fjreat    merev  of 
Divme  providence."  ■     It  was  then  that  he  met  John  Kehle 
for  the  first  tin.,-.     "How  is  that  hour  fixed  in  .„^•  luemorv 
after  the  chancres  of  forty-two  years,  fortv-two  vears  tin's 
very  .lay  .„,  which  I  write  .'     I  have  latch  had  a  lett.-r  in  mv 
hands,  which  I  sent  at  the  time  t..  my  .irnN.t  fri,.,,.!,  John 
ANilham  B.)w<len.  ...     "I  ha.l  t..  hasten  to  the  T..wer,'   I 
say  to  him,  'to  receive  the  cii-ratulations  of  all  the  Fellows 
I  bore  It  till  Kel.le  to.,k  my  han.l,  an.l  then  felt  so  ahashe.l 
an.l  unworthy  of  the  honor  .lone  me,  that  I  secm.'.l  .lesirous 
of  quite  sinking  int..  the  un-und.'     His  ha.l  l.een  the  first 
name  whu^h  I  ha.l  hcar.l  .pok.n  of,  with  revcr.M.ce  rather 
than  a.lmiratL.n,  when   I   .aine  up  to  Oxfor.l.     When  one 
day  I  was  walkin-  in  Hi^li  Street  with  mv  .l.^ar  earliest  fri.-n.l 
just  meiitioiie.1,  with  what  eagerness  ,li,l  he  crv  .,ut  'There's 
Keble!'  an.l  with  what  awe  .li.l  I  l.x.k  at  him."  - 

'  •■I.('ttiT>  ami  (■nrriv<|,„n.l.'ii(v";    \,,1.  I,  p.  o  1. 
'  "Apulonia"  ;    [,.  17. 


'11 


JOHN    IIKNIJY    N HUMAN 


44!> 


Tlu-  (»ii»',  li(i\vc\(T,  til  wlinin  Nfwmiiii  owed  inost  at  this 
jiiiicturc  was  Dr.  Wliatfl;. ,  wlio  >a\v  witli  liis  accustomed kt-ni- 
ncss  till'  promise  of  >;re,it  tiling's  in  tlie  newly  elected  fellow. 
"  He  was  a  man  of  ;;eiieroii^  ami  warm  luart  .  .  .  particularly 
loyal  to  Ills  friends.  .  .  .  Wliile  I  was  >till  awkward  and 
timid  in  ISJ'J  he  took  me  liy  tiie  hand  and  acTeil  towanl  mi' 
the  part  of  a  identic  ai\d  encoiirau'in^  iii->trnctor.  I  le,  emphat- 
ically, opened  my  mind,  and  tan^'ht  me  how  to  think."  ' 
Hut  teacher  and  scholar  were  laiilt  on  entirely'  dilferent  lines. 
Wliately  was  a  loud  and  hrec/y  conversational'  I,  hrimfnl  of 
accurate  information  on  man\'  snhjects,  and  l>y  no  means  hith 
to  impart  it.  He  overflow ed  with  rouirh  humor,  and  was 
impervious  to  self-reproacii  for  Irs  nmneroiis  hreaches  of 
imiversity  etiquette.  ImKucd  with  a  resolute  sen>e  of  jus- 
tice; zealous,  courajjeous,  conscientious,  he  holdly  en- 
countered ol)struction  ;ind  misconcei)tion,  and  rendered 
valuahle  serxice  to  the  cau>e  of  education  and  of  a  reasonable 
relif;ious  lielief.  In  his  ititercourM'  he  was  wont  to  use  others 
as  in>truments  hy  wliirli  to  >hai)e  and  define  his  own  views, 
a  habit  the  more  readily  cultiv.ited  because  of  his  freedom 
from  party  spirit. 

Xcwiuau  was  equally  >teadfast  and  imcompromisiuij.  Hy 
this  time  the  seductive  chann  of  his  fascinating;  per- 
sonality, so  mild  yet  so  in\incible,  betran  to  assert  itself  in 
unmistakable  ways.  He  >poke  and  a(  ted  as  the  nuui  of 
interior  life  who  held  the  xcret  of  an  illimitable  purpose, 
which  in  the  eye-<  of  his  associates  invested  him  with  an 
indefinable  superiority.  \\\>  coml>ination  of  jrentle  manners 
and  ri'si)onsi\e  kindness  with  unsei/.able  reser\e  and  inca- 
j)iuity  for  subordination  was  a  decepti\e  but  formidal)le 
obstacle  between  him  and  Whately.  They  bepm  to  drift 
apart:  Whately  ojjenly,  Jiiid  Newman  tacitly,  resented  inter- 
ference, and  the  more  the  older  man  proxoked  the  youni.'er 
one's  iiidei)endence,  tlic  nearer  they  came  to  the  inevitable 
separation.     New  man  seems  to  ha\e  forced  the  issue,  and 

'  "  .\;>oli);;iu"  ;    p.  1 1. 

2a 


I 

I 

m 

••41 


4:)()      TIIUKK    UKLKilors    LKADKUS  OF   OXFoKO 

•  •(.iifcss,-,!  tliiit  altlioiiKli  li,.  hail  meant  to  .Ir.licatr  liis  first 
l)o()k  to   Whatcly,   the  iiit.-i.tioii   \va>  aliaiKioricd,  aixj    tliut 
afttT  thr  year  1V!I,  \\|,;.t.ly   -  uv.uU-  lii„.M-ll'  .Ica.l  to  me." 
Dr.   AI.lH.ft   a>Mrt>  that    N.'unian   uas  niainlv   rcsponsihK- 
for  tlu-  rupture.'     II,.  .,„.k,.  ,,f  the  ai.-uisli  wlii'di  it  iiillicto.j 
<•"  him  to  pa^s  Wlmt.ly  iu  the  Mrect  <o|,I!y,  hut  this  s.-uti- 
MUMit  was  Iianliy  .■ou^l.tciit  uilli  the  tone  ..fa  lrtt«T  wliidi  he 
wrot..  to  the  iK.w  .\r(lil.i>ii..p.  and  in  wiiidi  lie  said:  "On 
honot  r.-dction  I  .•ann..t  conceal  fn-ni  myself  that  it  was 
p-nerally  a  relief  to  see  -o  little  of  your  Crace  when  you  were 
ill  OxfonI  :  and  it  is  a  -rreater  relief  now  to  have  an  oi)portu- 
nity  of  sayin-  >o  to  yourself."     He  proceeded  to  exiilain  at 
jireat  Ienj,'th  his  reaxm^  for  thi-.  extraordinary  stat.-ment,  .so 
eharned    with    personal    fedin-.     Wliately's  "support   of  the 
Irish  Church  'I'cmporalities  Act,  passed  in  Au^'ust  14,  1S:{:!, 
which   i)rospectively   al>oli>hed   tw.>  archl.ishopries.   and  re- 
duce<l  the  >ulfra.-an  l)i>hopric>  l>y  consolidation  from  eighteen 
to  ten,  had  jmnoked  a  painful  resentment  in  Newman,  who 
referred  with  utter  a\er.Mon  to  the  secular  and  unhelievinK 
policy  m  which  Whately  was  implicated.     The  letter  iiien- 
tioned.  which  was  a  mixture  of  piety  and  proumption,  was 
written  in  ls:U,  w'leii  Newman  wa>  no  more  than  aiiordinarv 
meniher  <.f  the   CniM-rMty,   while  Whately,   who  ha.l   l.eeii 
warmly  attached  to  him,  wa-  lii>  senior,  his  former  patnm, 
an.l  a  hi<rh  ditrnitary  ..f  the  .\n-lican  hierarchy.     Evideiitlv 
thoe  consideration^  counted  f..r  little.     However  Newman 
may  protest  that  "in  memory"  there  were  few  men  whom 
he  love.l  so  much  as  Whately.  the  Archl.ishop  was  m>  longer 
of  «-onse(pienee.     .XewmanV  sentiment  towanl  him  was  not 
one  .)f  personal   ho>tility,   hut   rather  of  ecclesiastical  and 
theological    antipathy.       M„re   than    a   ye;ir    i)reviou,slv    he 
liad  sai.l  in  a  lett«T  to  IJowden,  "As  to  poor  Whately,"  it  is 
melancholy.     Of  ciurx  .  to  know  him  now  is  cpiite  impossihle, 
.vet  he  has  >,,  ni.iny  uood  (pialities  that  it  is  im|)ossihIe  also 
not  to  feel  f,,r  |,i,„   .   .   .   ,\,r  ;,   ,„.,„  „„,r,.  ^.,,j,|  „,•_  ^^1,.^^  .,r,. 

'  ■■.\iit;li,^.ii  C:!...-,' ,,)■  i-:,pli,Kil  N.vvMKiii":    Vol.  I,  p.  :(01. 


I  !!  i: 


Hi 


.loiiN   iii;\i{\    \i;\vM.\\ 


4r.i 


cKiiimmily  tiillcil,  .rlli^li  cnil^  iluc-  imt  <\i>t.'"  '  Siicli  itn 
littitiidc  i'X|»laiii>  tin-  fiitiility  wliiili  Kcxt  -n  many  of  Xt-w- 
iriiiii's  iissoi'iatiitiis,  lie  lrc(|iiciiily  cxpri's-rd  it  in  passu^M's 
similar  to  tliat  uiiicli  ilcdaro  that  " r\vr\  indiviilnal  soul  is  a 
«-1osim|  world,  and  that  tlic  mo>t  intiniatr  I'riiMHWiip  does  not 
siiccfcd  in  jM-nctratinf.'  flu-  -olid  wail  lifliind  wliicli  cacli  of  u>, 
in  spite  of  liim^'lf,  is  iiidini;."  '  As  yrt  only  tlic  >iirfac»' 
of  Ills  sjiirit  liad  Ixm  nilllfd  l.y  tlic  lir.-t  ynst  wliicli 
heralded  other  storms.  It  had  fhin;,'  np  its  chill  spray,  and 
sunk  a^ain  to  suave  placidity.  15ut  anner  in  any  form  is  a 
>;reat  revealer,  ami  no  air  of  hii;h-l)red  inditlVrence  toward 
those  who  <lid  not  ajrree  with  his  nnyieldinj,'  certitude  could 
elVectually  conceal  the  reservations  to  which  even  New- 
man's admirers  have  never  heen  (|uitc  reconciled.^ 

He  was  ordained  on  Trinity  Sunday,  June  \'.',.  1S24,  and 
at  the  sufi^'cstion  of  Hdward  liouverie  I'usey,  also  a  fellow 
of  Oriel,  he  hecame  curate  of  .'^t.  Clement's  Church, Oxford. 
He  had  felt  a  i)reference  for  foreiirn  missionary  work,  which 
accentuated  his  desire  to  Ik-  free  fron\  any  domestic  rela- 
tionships, and  lie  lie;;an  to  practice  those  altstentions  in 
which  relipous  enthusiasm  takes  shape  in  sacrifice.  The 
heart  which  could  hut  ilur-t  not  love  remained  faithful  to 
the  vow  never  to  surrender  to  any  creature  that  which  was 
meant  for  Ood  alone.     He  (piestioiied  the  direction  of  his 


I 

r  I 


1  ■•LcttiTS  aiiil  f'(irrc>|M)Mil(-iir,-"  ;  \ol.  I.  p.  -i!)'..  I'lvi-  years  later  ho 
mill  WImtely  met.  "  He  i- -i>  mM>(l-lu':irte.|  :i  iii.n.llial  il  i.:ismm1  i.tT  well."  was 
XewiMaii'sediniueiit.  U''"'-.  H-  P-  -■'''•>  \  fii''n.|  lookiiii;  l)M.k  to  a  ilay  when 
Whalely.  theii.\rcliliishu|M.f  I  Jiiipjiii.  w:.-^  in  ( Ivfnnl."  reriieiiilM-rs  ac-eusiii«  Mr. 
Newman  to  his  fare  of  hcin;;  aMe  to  ra-t  a-ide  his  frieii.U  without  a  thouiiht. 
when  thc-v  fairlv  took  |.ail  aL'aiusI  what  he  eoiisi.lere.l  the  tnilh."  (Ibid., 
Vol.  I,  p.'  SS.) 

MJrenionil  :    "The  M,\~l<i\   ol   N'ewiu.iii "  :    p.  .".•. 

'The  inferences  vhi'li  I  "r,  Al.l.oti  .Ir.ius  from  NewinaiiV  letter  to 
Whately  appi  ;ii  t.)  I.e  -nin.^n  hat  oM'V-liaiue'l.  'the  re.uler  is  referred  to 
the  entire  eorresp.iiiileiii'e  lontainr.l  in  the  mm-oiuI  voliime  of  Newman's 
Letters,  pp.  til  r,:i.  Mo/.ley  -.xs.  ■  lie  uoiil.l  have  U'en  ready  to  love  ai.il 
admire  Whately  to  the  i'ii;l.  I.nl  for  il„'  inexorable  condition  of  fiiendship 
imposed  l>y  Whately,  al.sohite  aad  implicit  agreement  in  thoii;;ht.  wonl, 
and  deed.  This  aurec-menl.  from  the  first,  N.nvman  could  not  accord." 
"  Ueniiniscences"  ;     Vol.    1,    pp.    J'.'  oH. 


i 


•i:)-> 


1 1 


>.i 


,  i 


•!'t.'! 


Tiii{i;i:  i{i:i,i<ii(»i  s  i.kadkijs  ok  (ixkoud 


lllf.   Wllllll.r  it    u;,s  IrM.lil,-  lliin.  iMI.I  u'i  ull„t    w,.rth   it   W!1S  to 

••tli.r  xMil-.   uitl.  ;,    .tMrilin-  |MT.,,i,,„itN .     Tlirsc   nnusm.l 
r(lm,i.unt>  ..f  thon-lii    .iihI   .ui,,,   mI.Iui,,   |„ii,uI   in  ono  so 
v..imK.   wf   r.lir.t,.l    in    |,i,   ,,|,v.i,,,|   ;,i,,,ran.iMr.     .lam.-s 
Aiitliony  I'nMi.lc  .l.-,til„.,|  |,i,„  as  "al.ovc  tlu-  ini.l.ll.-  hri^lit 
..liKl.t  aii.l  spar.-.     Ill,  I,,,,,!  wa,  lar;:.-.  hi,  fa,,.  nnmrkaMv' 
hki-  that  of  .l,iliM>  Ca.s.r.     Th,-  fnr,l.,.a,l,  th,.  shap,-  of  th"o 
oars  and  the  nu,r.  w.r,.  ahiio^t  th.'  sain,-.     Th,'  iiiu^s  ,)f  thi- 
mouth  \v,r,.  v,n  p,.,iiliar,  aii.l  1  .,honM  sav  fxa,tlv  the  sanit-. 
I   liavf  ,.ft,.n    ihoiijrht   ..f   th.'   r,'M-ml.laii.-,..   aiul'  lu'li.'v,.  it 
t'Xtni.h.j   t..  t,'inp,'ram,'nt.     In  l.oth  th,r,-  was  an  ,.ri);inal 
tore-  ,.|  .hara.t.r  whi.h  nfuM^.I  t.)  Im-  nionl.h'.l  l.v  ,'ir,'uni- 
s-tan,-,.,.  «  hicli  was  t..  n.ak,'  it ,  „«  n  wax ,  an.l  l.,','oi,.'..  a  pow.T 
111  tlu-  worl.i;    ,'l.'arn,'~s  of  int.'ll.'.tnal  jH-rc'iHion.  a  .lis.lain 
»nr  c.nv.'nih.nahM,.,,   a    t,'nip.r    iMip.rioii-,    ari,|    wilfnl,    but 
iiloiiK  with  It  a  most  atta.'liin-  K<'mh'ncss,  swv.tn.'ss.  sinnlc- 
ii.'ss  ot  h,art  an.l  purp,.,,-.     Moth  w.ti-  form.'.l  ;,v  natur,-  t(» 
c.mman.l  oth,'rs,  l.oth  lia.l  tlu'  fa.ulty  of  attra.'tiii^  to  th.-tn- 

sflvi's  th.'  pass at,'  .h'v..ti..n  of  tlicir  fricn.Is  an.l  loll.nvcrs 

aiul  m  lu.th  ,as.-s.  too.  p,'rhaps  th,-  ,i,'V..tion  was  rath,-r  ,lut* 
to  th.-  p.-rs..nal  as.vn.h-n.y  of  th,.  l,'a.I.-r  than  to  th,-  ,-ans,. 
whu'h  h,-  r.'pr.-s,-„t,',|.  It  was  Casar,  not  the-  prin.iph-s  of 
the-  i-mpir,-,  ^^lu■h  ov.rthn-w  l'on.p,-v  an.l  tlu-  cmstitntion. 
(  ri-.lo  ni  .W'wnianmim'  was  a  •■oinmon  plirasi-  at  Oxfonl 
an.l  IS  still  nti.'.mMioiisly  th,'  faith  of  nin,'  t,-nths  ,)f  the  VaJ- 
lish  c-on\,'rts  t.)  I{.im.'."  ' 

Th,-  .I.Ti.'al  ,'ast  .,f  his  ,'ount,'naiu-,-  was  .liminish.-.l  l.v  its 
Danti'an  s.'v.rity,  whi.-h  in,li,.at,-,l  an  xalt.'.l  an.l  infh'i-'ntial 
piT-mahty.  amn.at.-d  In  a  pas.ion  for  .livin,-  truth  an.l  for 
a  lu-tt,r  oni.-r  of  .Jaily  lif,..  I„  hi,  ,,„,i;,i  i„t,.r.'hanj:,.s  lu- 
«as  at  on,-,'  nnipl.'  an.l  ,-..n.pl,x,  r.-s.-m-.l  an.l  ai.pn.a.'hal.l,- 
••..i.stram,'.l  a.„l  ^r.nial.  Th.'s.'opp„sit,' ,,ualiti,-s.lr.-w  t,.  him 
many  un.i  v.-ry  .l.tr.T.'nt  nu-n  wh..  foun.l  in  tlu-ir  variotv 
som,-  c-omnu.n  int.r.'^t.  M.-anwhil,-.  as  Dr.  Harrv  ol,s,-rv,-; 
iif  pani  t,u-  p,-naiTy  of  -.'uius  in  a  .!,','p,'Hin,u  solitu.K- ;  a 
'•■The  Oxford  Co.inU'i-UclMrmuUu,,-  in  -Sh,,..  Su,.lk'.s- ;    \u\.  IV. 


i'     f, 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWMAN 


453 


shadowy  fipin-  in  tlM>-.f  <lii\  -,  lii^  IVct  wtn-  >.t  iijm)I1  a  >traiinc 
patli  toward  a  pial  wliicli  IVw  I'oroaw  ami  from  which  tluTe 
was  no  tiiriiiiij;.  Afti  r  Iliirrtll  iVoinh'^  iliatli  no  one  took 
Ills  place  in  Newman^  allt  ition>.  Never  aj,'ain  did  lie  sur- 
HMuler  the  pa^^  ki\  to  lii^  ^pirii  ;  the  ^troni;  man  armed  kept 
his  own  hoiiM-,  and  dnrin;:  the  >i)iritiiMl  co.iHict  of  his  last 
|)haM- at  Oxford,  he  exehidid  e\en  tliii-e  who  -,tood  nearest 
to  him,  ami  went  forward  almo>t  without  witnesses. 


II 

The  reaction  from  the  <  reeil  of  Cahinism  had  h)ng  been 
felt  when  thi'-  yonihful  reihi>e  entered  Trinity  ("ollej;e.  At 
first  the  eonliiuntal  reformer^  won  a  widening;  way  in  Anj;li- 
cani^m,  and  dnrin^r  the  >i\teeiith  ami  se\cnteenth  eeii- 
turi<'s  the  "  ln^titntt•■^"  of  the  (lenevan  theolotrian  i)revailed 
at  Oxford  and  ( 'ainl)rid^'e.  Anhlii-ho])  Whit^dft  had  striven 
toameml  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  hy  inserting;  in  them  the 
salient  features  of  ('alvin'>  doctrines.  Those  doctrines 
thrived  hecause  they  con^titnted  an  authoritative  standard 
a}iain>t  the  inroads  of  the  .h^-uit  controversialists,  and  in- 
stilled thoM'  rcliuiou>  ami  pnlitic.d  convictions  which  i)ro- 
tected  the  integrity  of  tl;c  ii.^linn  ,ind  of  the  Church 
a>;ain>t  the  inlri^'ucs  of  the  l'ai)ac\ .  Hut  they  also  usurped 
the  I'rntotant  riiriit  of  jirivatc  jmljiincnt  hy  an  arhitrary 
theory  of  nihiical  interpret. ilioii.  Tiu'  Calvinists  deified  the 
Seri])ture-,  the  Itoniani-t-  deified  tlic  ('hnnh.  Hoth  rever- 
enced the  framework  of  rclii:ion  to  the  dcinm.  t  of  r.'lii;ion 
itself.     Presently  the  Independent-,  hejian  '       ..i  i])lii      tlmt 

"New  [irc^liytiT  i--  Imt  old  prir-i  urii     iii;i', 


and  at  the  other  extreme  the  hicrarclii.al  tcm'i  li   ii 
(.'hurch  of  Faiiiland  rea>-crti(l  tlutuMiMs.     'riie  i 
and  the  ."^acraincnts  were  elevated  until  tluy  hei  .. 
nant  to  Turitans  of  ever\  stripe.      Ititual  lthw  m<ir 
tal  in  meaning  and  more  i)rc(ftisc  in  display.     'I'ii 


the 

■cLte 


i\ 


OHD 


!  t  i 


I?! 


'i      I. 


m 


r . 


H 


!:.--l 


».V»      TIIUKK    IJKI-KilOl'S    LKADKHS  OK   oXF 

lMt«r,ri  th.  l:,rtinl,iM.  in.Tinx.l  ill  viruK-tiir.  Tl.r  stiff. 
>'.;.1,.|  ui.liM.lu.ili.n.  „!■  tl„.  ,r,t,-.rir,  u,„  Currvrr  as,o.iat...l 
wtli  ^.T.i.t  .|.r,K  ;,i..|  KHMt  ,,1,.,.  I„it  it  aiita«.,Miznl  that 
v.iuTatiun  l..r  tlir  M.lj.h.ri.y  „f  tlir  vi,il.lr  ( •|,iir.h  ai.,|  f„r  its 
jjm.ni.MK  i.n.Mli.,...|  ul.i.li  pr.vaii.-.|  in  tlir  I.au.lian  >,lu.„| 
111.'  arti.j,-,  ,.|  |,rr,lr>tiiiiiti..„  an.!  .Lvtiui,  «  tv  .l.j)r...at.'.J 
l.v    t,.„r    ^^|H,   ai-ii.-.l    tiiat    CJiri^liaM    litV   aii.l  hiMorv     as 

v..,i.lu..|  lor  l.v  ,„  r al  .A).,ri..,..v.  rr,i...l  ,.„  a  in„n.  viuUirim 

l>a^l^  than  arliitnir.  ijccnc^. 

TI..M-  fa.t..r.  in  thr  rvohiti,,,,  ..f  AiiKlicaiuMi.  Iim|  tl.cir 
M..ir.v,  „,  ra.xil  Mntii.i,  nt.  in  ,,oliti.al  an.l  rcliyiniis  (.imrnis 
•M  tlu.  Mat...ratt  n,'  priiar,  ainl  Li.!,.,,,.,  aii.l,  s„,>n.„i,.iv,  in' 
til.-  .•,.aMl,>.  .n.rmo  „|,i,|,  r,-ulf.|  tr..ii.  .•v.n  a  liinitnl 
.i.rrn-  of  thr  trr.,|,„„  whi,  |,  „„.|,  |,,.„|,.,,  ,,^  y^-^^^^^^ 
i.I.l'r..priat..l  t,.  thr  fnll.M  .m.  nt.  Tlu-  t.-l.Tation  ..vi-tit,,- 
ally  tnr.v.l  npun  Kndi^h.iirn  i,y  tii.ir  >lrUK>,'l.s  fur  civil  aii<| 
TvUisum.  ..(,..a!itv  I...I  to  a  j.la.i.litv  an.l  .•..nt.ntnunt  that 
'>"l>"<'l  «l-.-  li.>MtM.lr  an  .  .I.ra.v  ..f  ,|.,  ..i.ht,.,.„tl,  .vnturv 
whi.h  in  turn.  ;;avf  .-.n  ..p,„,rtuiiitv  to  tlu-  Kvaii-'dinil 
lu'Vival. 

NVwnian'.  M-ar.  1.  lur  a  .livin,.  pliil.,M,pl,y  ,„i,tr.mtf.l  tlu-so 
IM-niliaritic,  ..1  „p,„„,„  i„  ,|„.  f„nn-,  in  which  tl.cv  ha.j  nassnl 
over  int..  his  ,.ra.     The  Noctics.  wl,„  .pustionc'l  cvcrvthitii; 
1-.  onlcr  t..  aMcrtain  it.  ,harartcri>tic.  an.l  external  relations, 
l'«l'»i!.'...I   1.,  tlu-  ,ati..i.a|;.ti<-  irronp  in  that  tli.v  snhjeetcl 
orth.«l..vy  t..  n.as.,n.     Tli.y  ha.l  intro.|,u-...|   N.'w.nan  to  a 
hir^.r  u.Tl.l    uh.r..  th..   I...|i..t\  ..f   hi,  h.mie   litV   lost  their 
s.«n.(,.an,...      Jh.ukin..  n..t  ut  IV..v..t  ofOri.!,  taught  him 
tha    th..  |.,l,|,.  ui,.  ,„  1„,  nn.lerMo...!  in  the  Ii;;ht  of  a  livii.K 
tra.htn.n.      Fr,„n    WhMt..|y   !,.■    h,,rn...|    that    th.-    Christian 
(hMPJ.    wa,   a    .liM,,..   ^i.pninini.nt,    an,|.   a,   a    Mil.stantial 
V  ihM.   l,,„!y,  in.|..p,n  l.nt  .,f  tl„.  Siaf,  ...i.luw.'.l  with  rijjhts 
|.nT..^Mi,v.  ,  ;,nl   p.w.T^  ,,f   i,.  ,,wn.       Hi,   p;,,,„rai   servi.r 
.•It  M    (  l.nirni  ^..-nvii„.,.,||,i,M  th.it  I  lie  faitli  I,.- Iia.l  r.reivcd 
Imni  John  .\,.w|,,n  ,,n  I  ThoMia.  Smti  uonl.l  n„t  w.,rk  in  a 
pan^h.an.l  ih:,t  CalviiiiM,.  wa~  n.,i  a  k.-y  t..  the  ph.'n.„nena 


JOHN  lll•;\K^    m.- 


w 


45.-1 


of  liimiaii  iiiitnrr  a-  ili<  \  niciiriii  tin  \\><r\A  Ili>  alii-iiutioii 
from  till  I  iliM  triiii-^  \\a>  a  gradual  i)r<i<(>-.,  cvtciiilinj;  oviT 
lii>i  first  jtluiM-  at  Oriel,  ami  ^uinr  iniii  of  their  former  hold 
ii|)oii  liiiii  remaiiieil  \  i^ilile  to  llie  eml.  Hut  fn  .11  the  inoineiit 
he  eaiiu'  to  Oxfonl  the  doom  of  hi^  earliest  ereetl  was  assured. 
Its  emotional  and  peculiar  (onteiit  was  >iil)ordinated  to 
an  ohjeetive  and  eoiicrete  faith,  >neeeeded  hy  ii  dogmatic 
eeelesiastitism  that  found  itslo^'iral  i(Mulu-.ion  in  tlu'  Church 
of  Koine.  His  re-tle>^  spirit  -Imwed  it- di->sati>faction  with 
the  s|M'cific  jrifts  of  these  transitory  -tatt  s  to  lii>  jHace  ant! 
wi-lfare,  nor  wa>  his  assurance  >o  |MTfectid  as  to  lie  lieyond 
disturbance,  even  in  the  final  outcome. 

As  we  have  seen,  he  was  a  ilreamc  r,  full  of  eliuiuent  and 
radiant  imaprie^,  and  a  poet,  haviii:;  the  |M)etical  tem|Hra- 
nieiit  ;ind  nnistery  of  poetic  form  which  exuiled  an  atmos- 
phere redolent  of  his  own  |)er>onalit  \ .  The  hii;iier  lo\cliness 
which  sjirin^rs  out  of  poignant  intio>|n'ction  -.utfused  his 
utterances.  Dr.  K.  .\.  .\l)liott  (oniplained  that  .Newman's 
l.najtination  dominated  hi-  rca>on ;  it  certainly  carried 
him  far  away  from  the  <harted  route>  of  investigation. 
The  vuidue  sul>jectivi;.m,  not  to  sa,\  e^oi-in,  of  his  nature 
received  no  salutary  restraint  from  the  hot  results  of 
nuxlern  thou^dit.  lie  had  none  of  that  adniiralile  curiosity 
which  would  have  driven  him  to  iiu|uirc  of  tliosc  e\i)erts  in 
j)hilosoi)h>  i'lid  rcliuion  who  had  rcircated  the  ideas  of  some 
of  his  contemporaries.  |)enn  .Stanley  ixclaimed  :  "IIow 
difTerent  the  fc  -tunes  of  the  (  hunh  of  Hmiland  if  Newiium 
had  lieeii  ahle  to  re.id  (Jcrniaii  !"  Mark  I'.-itli-nn  declared 
that  all  the  yrand  dcxciopmcnt  of  huniiiii  reaxm.  from 
Aristotle  to  Hepl,  was  a  scaled  liouk  to  NCwniiiti,  who 
himself  confessed  in  old  a^c,  "  I  nexcr  read  a  word  of  Kant, 
I  never  read  a  word  of  ('olerid<;e." 

Nor  was  his  ima-'inatioii.  wlicn  left  to  itself,  at  all  flexible, 
rnderneath  its  surface  tluctuation>  he  wa>  conscious  of 
a  hardness  and  a  ccntrali/.ation  whicii  nothing;  beyond 
him  could  touch.     "I   have  changed   in  many  things,"    he 


,   ! 


i  J 


45G     THREE    RKLKJIOUS   LKADEIIS  OF  OXFORD 

saul,  "in  tliis  I  have  not  dian<;c(l.     From  the  age  of  fifteen 
(lo^nia  has  l)een  tlie  fiiiKhiineiital  principle  of  my  religion ; 
I  cannot  enter  into  the  idea  of  any  other  sort  of  religion ;' 
religion,  as  a  mere  sentiment,  is  to  me  a  dream  and  a  mockery.' 
As  well  can  there  be  filial  love  without  the  fact  of  a  father,  as 
devotion  without  the  fact  of  a  Supreme  Being.     What  I  held 
in  iSlC,  I  held  in  1S:!:{,  and  I  lu.l.l  in  18(14.     I'leasc  (JchI,  I 
shall  hold  it  to  the  end.     Even  when  1  was  under  Dr.  Whate- 
ly's  iiiHiience  I  had  no  temptation  to  he  less  zealous  for  the 
great  dogmas  of  the  faith."  '     For  .\ewman,  Christian  belief 
and  chara.ter  were  determined  by  an  unquestioning  accept- 
ance of  this  position.     He  wrought  earnestly  to  understand 
and  apply  cre«lal  statements  received  upon  authoritv,  which 
he  believed  could  not  be  neglects  1  without  incurring  Heaven '.s 
displeasure.     His  reliance  was  increasingly  placed  upon  the 
(liurch  an'"  her  institutions.     Moored  to  this  anchorage,  he 
felt  that  he  was  safe  and  better  able  to  measure  the  strength 
of  the  currents  which  bore  mankind  either  from  or  toward  her 
welcoim>  ha\en.     Fuder  her  protection,  he   craved  a  close 
fellowshii>  with  r,(Ml,  compared  with  which  the  honors  and 
intercourse  of  the  University  sank  into  nothingness.     The 
prizes  and  emoluments  others  coveted  never  allured  him; 
fame  itself  was  but  a  mere  breath,  an  emptv  sound,  a  vibra- 
tion of  the  air  in   words.     The  maxims  of  Thomas  Scott 
"Holiness  rather  than  Peace,"  and  "Growth  the  onlv  evi- 
dence of  Life,"  were  his   chosen   guides,  the  mottoes  of    a 
heart  intent  on  tlu-  \  ision  „f  eternal  realities  through  the 
medium  of  the  divine  society  (m  earth. 

His  unquestioning  acceptance  of  the  ipfiimma  verba  of 
Holy  Writ  was  another  evidence  of  the  innate  conservatism 
which  blende.1  with  his  i)rogressiveness,  another  tribute  of  his 
spirit  to  the  stai)ility  of  the  historic  past.  From  first  to  last 
he  treat«"d  e\-ery  text,  every  expression,  every  emblem,  everv 
idea  the  Bible  contained  as  a  s.-ttled  and  saving  truth,  to  be 
developed  later,  jxrhaps,  by  the  Church,  but  never' to  be 

'  "  Apol()gi:i"  ;    [).  49. 


•V 


LLJi  • 


.roHN    IIKNKY   NKWMAN 


457 


doubtwl.  Ilis  soviTo  iidluTfiice  to  coiicrete  and  explicit 
authority  found  an  ontU-t  in  this  notion  of  Biblical  infalli- 
bility, which  he  maintaiiuHl  practically  unmodified  after  his 
submission  to  Rome.  I'nafraid  of  the  inconsistency  which 
is  "the  hobgoblin  of  little  minds,"  he  carried  to  the  Roman 
Cardinalate  one  of  the  basic  teachings  of  his  hereditary  Prot- 
estantism. Anythinj;  savorinf;  of  cxcfjetical  research  and 
criticism  was  distasteful  to  him,  and  if  the  results  of  construc- 
tive scholarshij)  trespassed  on  his  tlieolojjical  dojjmatism  he 
promptly  ifjnorcd  them.  For  him,  at  this  stafje,  spiritual 
culture  was  synonymous  with  absolute  trust  in  the  Holy 
Scrijrtures  and  in  the  Church  of  Kufiland  as  tiieir  guardian. 
Contradictions  could  no  more  be  perniitted  in  the  prescribed 
princii)les  of  relifjion  than  in  those  of  astronomy  or  chemistry. 
On  the  entire  issue  he  miKht  well  have  held  the  Authorized 
Version  inspired  for  any  critical  use  he  ever  made  of  it. 
A  keen  observer  has  remarked  that  when-as  the  Vatican 
Council  had  declared  the  whole  Bibl(>  has  (lod  for  its  author, 
Newman's  belief  was  tiiat  (Jod  was  its  editor. 

Blanco  White  detected  these  strivin<;s  between  the  old  and 
the  new,  and  p-cdicted  that  Xewmau's  i)reference  for  historj- 
over  experience  as  the  revelation  of  whatever  was  true  and 
holy  would  unfailinjily  draw  him  within  Latin  Christianity, 
the  home  of  that  conception.  Wiiite  was  qualifu'd  to  judge : 
he  had  formerly  been  a  j)riest  in  .Spain,  was  afterwards  an 
Oxford  man,  a  traveler,  a  student  of  literatures,  and  a  power- 
fid  writer  on  i)hilosophical  and  reli>,Mous  subjects  untroubled 
by  the  thoughts  of  yesterday.  But  his  volatile  and  erratic 
temperament  could  exercise  no  restraint  upon  Xcwnian,  now 
beset  by  a  host  of  reflections  he  revealed  to  none.  On  the 
ver>-  day  he  fulfilled  White's  prophecy  and  accepted  the  rule 
of  Rome,  White  himself  renounced  that  of  Canterbury: 
thus  they  separated,  journeying  in  opt)osite  directions. 
Chief  among  the  reflections  mentione<l  was  tlie  persuasion 
that  an  inevitable  neint^sis  and  reaction  ijcnneated  life,  an 
idea  which  rendered  Newman  sensitive  to  signs  and  tokens 


if 


:  > 


ki 


11 


4')S      TIIKKK    UKLKJIOIS    LK.Vr)KI{S   OK    oXKOUf) 


■'■,  i 


ill  wliati'vcr  liappfiu-d.  Onlii.nry  incuts  wen-  vitwcd  in  the 
lijliit  of  ii  siM'ciiil  I'rovidoluc,  wliicli  ^Tjuionsly  inticrvfiH'il 
to  provide  tlit-sc  stcppinjj  stoiu's  on  a  dark  and  perilous  road. 
His  daily  routine  was  never  in  liisown  keepinsr.  his  ordinations 
were  from  al)ove.  Confident  of  this,  he  heianie  impersonal 
in  his  amhitions,  cherishinj,'  his  calling;  as  Christ's  anointed 
messenger  heyoml  any  other  [nirsuit,  and  saying  of  it: 

"Deep  ill  my  liciirt  tliiit  t;ift  I  hide, 
I  (  liiiii;;!'  it  Mi)t  iiwii\- 
For  piltriot  warrior's  hour  of  pride 

Or  stiiti'Miiiiii's  traiKpiil  sway; 
For  iXH't's  fire,  or  pleader's  skill 
To  pierce  the  soul  an<l  tame  the  will." 

His  break  with  Whately  was  due,  not  as  some  have  as- 
serted, to  their  disagreement  o\er  Sir  Uohert  I'eel's  eandida- 
ture  at  Oxford  as  tlie  nhictant  advocate  of  Catholic  Knmnci- 
l)ation,  wlien  Newman  was  found  in  tiie  ei>mp  of  vociferous 
Orangemen  and  No-I'opery  /ealot>,  l)iit  to  his  growing  separa- 
tion from  the  Xoeties,  whose  oifense  lay  in  tiieir  being  the 
fort-runners  of  a  reasonal)!e  theology.  Kijuaily  di.ssatisfied 
with  the  hmnovable  orthodoxy  of  Evangelicals  and  the  dull 
jMimpous  inertness  of  High  Churchmen,  the  Xoeties  dis- 
countenanced both  factions  and  cultivated  a  spirit  of  mtMleru- 
tion  and  synii)athy  inipossii)le  within  either.  Newman's 
Kvangclicalism  had  not  deterred  tiiem  from  receiving  him 
with  H'spect  and  kindness,  nor  was  the  broadening  effect 
of  their  intimacy  entirely  lost  upon  him.  On  the  contrary, 
Hr.  Wilfred  Ward  state>  that  as  a  thinker  pure  and  simple, 
although  confined  in  range,  his  reputation  was  never  more 
deserved  than  when  he  was  under  their  spell.'  But 
he  could  not  permanently  identify  himself  with  what  he 
conceived  to  be  the  nebulous  theories  of  a  few  intellectual 
aristocrats  who  did  not  even  agree  among  tliemselvcs.  As 
an  Kvaugelical.  he  had  far  more  in  connuon  with  Catholic 


I.ifi'  of  .I.,lii,  I|,.„,v  dmli 


.1  \. 


Vol    I.  ,,.  Us. 


JOHN    IIKNUY    NKWMAN 


459 


tfiidiiiiK  than  with  ii  UatioiiaHsiii.  however  disfiuised,  wliieh 
lu'ld  all  formularies  at  arm's  lerii;th.  The  >.ime  may  he  said 
of  othernotahle  seeeders  :  Silithorp,  Maimiiif:,  Uyder,  Dods- 
worth,  Ilope-Seott,  Noel,  Kaher,  and  the  Wilherforees  "  pro- 
eoeded  from  Oxford  to  Koine  as  they  had  already  marehed 
from  Clapham  to  Oxford." 

In   \S2{>  Newman  resigned  the  ciiraes    of  St.  Clement's 
to  hecome  one  of  the  four  pnlilic  tutors  at  Oriel,     .^nd  now 
the  friend  and  (•omi)anion  who  finally  vamiuished  his  tenta- 
tive and  short-lived  liherali.-m  ai)iH'ared  iiixm  the  seene,  the 
" bright  and  beautiful"  Ilurrell  Froude,  who  was  destined  to 
have  a  part  in  Newman's  inspiration  and  recollection  analo- 
gous to  that  which  .\rthnr  Ilallam  had  in  Tennyson's  "In 
Memoriam."     \lv  was  the  eldest  son  of  Arclulcacon  Robert 
Ilurrell  Fronde,  of  Totnes,  Devon,  a  High  Chiirchman  of  the 
most  extreme  and  exclusive  type,  who  loathed  Puritanism, 
denounced    the    Kvangclicals,    and    brought    up    his    sons 
to  do  the  same.     The  age<l  President  of  Magdalen  College, 
Dr.  Martin  Iltmth,  a  relic  of  the  far  i)ast,  represented  this 
nearly  extinct  cult  at  Oxford  long  bt  fore  and  after  the  Trac- 
tarians  had  resuscitated  it.     Ilurrell  I'roude  thus  conveyed 
to  Newman's  mind  an  indoctrination  hitherto  alien  to  its 
experience  ;  he  became  the  living  i)ri(lge  over  which  Newman 
passed  from  the  Hvangelical  to  the  Catholic  conception  of 
.Vnglicanism.     During  the  fir^t  stages  of  the  Oxford  Move- 
ment, Fronde  was  its  most  perva>ive  force,  and  the  after- 
glow of  his  personality  lingered  long  snbseciuently  to  his  short 
day.     He  caricatured  and  mocked  the  vacillations  and  com- 
promises of  Krastiani>m.  assailing  with  unsparing  invective 
its  surrender  of  the  heroical  attributes  of  High  Churchman- 
ship  and  its  insular  and  egregious  complacency.     These  de- 
fects were  contrasted  with  the  bold  and  consistent  i)olicies 
of  the  Holy  See,  for  which  he  openl.v  avowed  his  atVection. 
.V  rash  and  a<lvcitturou>  critic,  without  accurate  information 
on  many  i>sue>  he  prounicil  to  determine,  Fronde  rejoiced  in 
the  little  he  knew  about  the  Puritans,  since  it  gave  him  a 


I 


!*■■ 


a 


ill: 


ii 


i  (i 


If; 


460      THREE    llELIOIOUS    LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 

better  right  to  hate  John  Milton,  whom  Newman  also  re- 
prouehed  as  containinated  hy  evil  times  and  the  waywardness 
of  a  proud  heart.'  Froude  adored  diaries  I,  andVenerated 
Arehbishop  Laud,  whose  apparition  Xewnian  gravely 
deelared  might  even  then  bo  found  in  Oxford,  anxiously 
awaiting  tlie  <level()pments  of  events. 

Fronde's  extravagamrs  wen-  probably  intensified  bv  his 
prolonged  illness,  which  ende<l  his  life  when  he  was  not  vet 
thirty-three.  While  he  lived,  the  light  of  battle  was  in  "his 
eye,  and  as  though  preseient  of  death,  he  eagerly  spread  a 
feverish  restlessness  among  the  Traetarians,  who  reeeived  his 
reekless  statements  with  avi.iity.  These  he  proclaimed  in 
the  temper  of  a  zeah.t,  describing  himself  as  a  i)riest  of  the  one 
Holy  Catholic  Church  allowed  by  her  Divine  Lord  to  mani- 
fest herself  in  (ireat  Britain,  and  engaging  his  lovaltv  to  her 
and  to  her  alone.  Other  l'rott>stant  communions,  English  or 
continental,  were  the  objects  of  his  violent  detestation  and 
abuse.  Their  great  institutions,  no  matter  how  beneficial 
were  viewed  satirically.  The  variety  of  his  gifts,  the  vehe- 
mence of  his  ecclesiasticism,  and  his  insatiable  craving  for 
sympathy  endeared  him  to  kindred  spirits,  who  could  not 
resist  his  unrestrained  outpourings,  even  when  these  did  not 
win  their  entire  approval. 

Dean  Church  has  suggested  that  Fronde's  intemperate 
language  and  demeanor,  which  in  some  instances  came  near 
to  ill-bred  and  useless  folly,  were  such  as  could  be  easily 
misinterpreted  by  those  not  admitted  to  his  confidence,  and 
that  his  insolent  pronouncements  were  uttered  at  random  and 
not  intended  for  the  public  ear.  The  Dean  added  that 
friends  were  pain<-<l  and  disturl)ed,  while  fiH's  exulted  over 
such  disclosures  of  tiie  animus  of  the  Oxford  Movement.  But 
the  editors  of  the  "  Remains,"  of  whom  Newman  was  one, 
asserted  that.  "  right  or  wrong,  they  were  his  deliberate  opin- 
ions, and  cannot  be  left  out  of  consideration  in  a  complete 
estimate  of  Fronde's  character  and  principles.     The  otf-hand, 

'  "Letters  and  CDrrespomleiKT"  ;    Vol.  I,  p.  195. 


)  'I 


JOHN    IIKNUY    XKW'MAN 


461 


!•: 


unpremeditated  way  in  which  they  seemed  to  dart  out  of  him, 
like  sparks  from  a  luminous  IxMly,  proved  only  a  mind  en- 
tirely possessed  with  the  subject,  glowing  as  it  were  through 
and  through."  '  The  volume  speaks  for  itself  and  for  the 
incurable  i)rovincialism  and  ignorance  that  infest  its  pages, 
in  which  violence  of  assertion  was  the  ideal  method,  assertion 
that  sought  no  ultimate  proof  higiier  than  prejudice.  It 
abounds  in  flouts,  jibes,  and  sneers;  exhibiting  tiiose  pre- 
possessions which  corrupted  the  history  and  also  cramped  the 
intellectual  processes  of  the  entire  group  for  whom  Froude 
was  an  apostle.  Neither  he  nor  they  realized  that  a  church- 
manship  iml)edde(l  in  dread  of  democracy,  in  separatism, 
and  in  uncharitableness  toward  its  rivals  and  opponents, 
could  not  withstand  the  strain  of  crisis. 

James  Anthony  Froude,  the  younger  l)rother,  described 
Hurrell  as  one  who  went  forward,  taking  the  fences  as  they 
came,  and  sweeping  his  friends  along  with  iiim.  Hugh 
James  Rose  distrusted  him  from  the  first,  and  the  descrip- 
tion of  Froude's  jjosition  as  that  of  a  Catholic  without  the 
Popery  and  a  Churcli  of  Kiigland  man  without  the  Protes- 
tantism made  many  others  distrust  him,  and  irritated  those 
who  regarded  these  as  irreconcilable  terms.  But  he  pene- 
trated Newman's  proutl  isolation  to  such  a  degree  that  the 
latter  was  unable  to  write  with  confidence  unless  he  had 
received  the  imprimatur  of  Froude:  "He  was  one  of  the 
acutest  and  clearest  and  deepest  men  in  the  memory  of 
man,"  avowed  Newman.  Other  equally  keen  and  far  more 
sagacious  thinkers  wer«  avoided  or  forsaken  l)ecause  their 
ability  to  conserve  spiritual  interests  was  distrusted.  New- 
man's self-knowledge  was  not  balanced  by  a  sufficient  knowl- 
edge of  his  fellow  creatures.  Hence  he  admitted  within  the 
-■'cred  walls  of  his  individuality  this  iiectic  young  dogmatist, 
who  helped  to  make  "  .<  a  resolute  and  aggressive  Church- 
man, aglow  for  the  C        lic  Anglicanism  Newman  was  after- 

'  Preface,  "Romuius  of  ihe  Late  Reverend  Richard  Hurrell  Froude"; 
p.  20. 


I 


If  I! 


'ill! 


I  I 

il   : 
I     I 


!  '     I 


I    :    ■ 
fCi.i 


H 


462     THRKK    KKLICiIors    I.KADKKS  OK   OXFORD 

wards  to  roiiomur  iiixl  ridiculi'.  "II«'  taught  mt',"  ^sai(^ 
Kroudo's  illiistriniis  pu|>il,  "to  l(M)k  with  aihiiiratioii  towards 
the  Church  of  Koiuc,  and  in  tht-  sainr  (hgnr  to  dislike 
Puritanism.  Hi-  fixt-d  dctp  in  me  the  idea  of  devotion  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin  and  lie  led  me  to  lulieve  in  the  Heal  I'res- 
entr."  '  How  much  farther  I-Voude  would  have  jjroeeeded 
toward  Koine  had  he  lived  is  a  s|H'enlation.  True  to  his 
ori>;in  he  seemed  well  intrenched  in  Anglicanism,  and  just 
In-fore  his  death  declared  his  faith  in  it  as  a  branch  of  the 
Catholic  ("hurch,  with  the  right  of  apostolical  succession 
in  its  ministry  and  free  from  sinful  terms  in  its  communion. 
But  the  "A|)ologia"  shows  ho",  finnly  and  how  far  he 
planted  Newman's  feet  on  the  road  toward  secession.  It 
also  delineates  IVoude  as  so  many  sided  that  it  would  he 
presumptuous  to  attempt  to  deserihe  him,  except  under  those 
aspects  in  which  he  came  before  Newman  himself.  lie 
speaks  of  this  man  of  dew  and  fire  as  gentle  and  tender;  of 
the  free  elasticity  and  graceful  versatility  of  his  mind,  and  the 
patient  and  wimiing  considcrateness  in  discussion  which 
endeared  him  to  those  to  whom  he  opened  his  heart.  Depict- 
ing a  very  different  Kroude  than  the  one  the  "Remains" 
presents,  Newman  extolled  him  as  "  a  high  genius,  brimful 
and  overflowing  with  ich'as  and  views,  in  liim  original,  which 
were  too  many  and  too  strong  even  for  his  bodily  strength, 
and  which  crowded  and  jostled  against  each  other  in  their 
effort  after  distinct  shape  and  exi)ression."  -'  Bereaved  of  his 
companionship,  he  took  refuge  in  verse  — 

"Oh  (jparrst !  witli  a  woril  he  could  disiK-I 
All  (lut'stioiiiiid,  aiiil  raise 
Our  hearts  to  rapture,  whisperinj;  all  was  well 
And  turniuj;  prayer  to  praise, 
.^nd  other  seeri'ts  too  lie  eoujd  declare, 
H.v  patterns  all  divine. 

His  earthly  ereed  retouehinn  here  and  there. 
And  deepeninj;  e\ery  line." 


'  ".Apolocl;!" 


»  Ihiit..  p.  24. 


!   .    ',  I 


;"j! 


Hi 


JOHN    IIHNIIY    NKWMAX 


403 


The  significant  acliicvonnMit  of  Fronde's  l)ri(f  cartTr,  as 
ho  hinisflf  ri'jjanli-d  it,  ami  tlu'  out-  on  wliicli  In-  dwi-lt  with 
satisfaction,  is  related  in  the  "  Kt mains,  "  where  he  in(|nires : 
"Do  yon  know  tlu'  story  of  the  nninlerer  who  had  <l(uie  one 
jjooil  tiling  in  his  life?  Well,  if  I  weie  a>ked  what  p)od 
deed  I  had  ever  dune,  I  >honld  say  that  I  had  liroufiht  Ivehle 
and  Newman  to  nnderstand  each  otiier."  There  was  need 
of  this,  for  Kehle  had  suspected  Newman  of  the  taint  of 
Evanf^eliealism.  Nor  did  they  at  any  time  enter  into  the 
closest  and  most  symi)atlietic  intcreonrse;  Newman's 
nature  precluded  such  aflinities,  and  rendered  liim  sui)erior 
rather  than  fraternal.  Like  NaiMiieon  on  iiis  wiiy  to  Klha, 
his  thoughts  were  iiis  only  real  companions.  Ih- was  never 
fully  alive  to  the  fact  that  a  man's  life  consists  in  the  relations 
he  hears  to  others  —  is  made  or  marred  hy  tiiose  relations, 
guided  hy  them,  judj;ed  hy  them,  and  expressed  in  them. 
That  Christianity  from  the  first  had  heeii  a  social  and  not  a 
solitary  religion,  and  that  aspirants  after  its  ideals  cannot 
run  counter  to  this  truth,  did  not  seem  t(»  occur  to  him.  The 
uistinct  for  human  fellowslii|)  was  forci^'n  to  his  t)reast. 
The  rela.xation,  the  joy,  the  refreslnnent  whicli  belong  to  the 
feUowship  of  saints  were  sacrificed  to  tiiose  grand  designs 
which  he  carried  from  childhood  up  to  maniiood  and  (m  to 
old  age. 

Even  Fronde  was  far  from  heing  Newman's  alter  ego;  in 
many  respects  he  was  of  a  contrary  as  well  a>  a  complemen- 
tary temperament,  abounding  in  traits  which  Newman  either 
suppressed  or  did  not  have.  Fronde,  as  we  have  seen,  was 
nothing  if  not  original,  daring,  thorough,  open  ;  deligliting 
in  publicity  and  abrupt  clfective  sallies.  Newman's  shrewd 
judgments  of  the  foil)les  and  follies  of  the  many  were  re- 
served for  the  few :  and  even  they  were  kept  in  susjjense  as 
to  what  he  really  thought.  Yet  like  most  people  who  follow 
an  elusive  labyrinth,  he  was  deficient  in  prevision,  and  did 
not  anticipate  the  vigorous  resentment  which  his  neatly 
arranged  plans  excited.     Both  men  were  engrossed  with  the 


'!l 


m 


i-t 


t 


'    !• 


4«»4      TIIKKK    UKMdIors    NKADKKS  OF   OXFtUlD 


1  :     i 


!   li. 


tliiory  (if  ii  cninpUtf  liicrarcliical  systnii,  miuI  of  a  siKrrddtal 
|)(.u(T  wliicii  >;raiitt<l  tlir  l'iill<->t  lihrrty  to  m-lfsiastical 
prcrojiativts  at  tlic  cxikiim'  of  .vcn  other  kiiiil  of  freedom. 
I'Voude,  ill  particular,  lia«l  an  aliiioNt  Mii)erstitioiis  revereiiee 
for  the  |)li\>i(ai  iK>p(.ti>iiis  iuxl  spiritual  transeeiideiuies  of 
the  saints  of  the  ^^iddle  .\>;e^. 

Thus  the  Oxford  Catholic-  ociii[)icd  a  ref;ion  filie<|   in  its 
U|)per  raiiKf^  with  conrajre,  determination,  aii<l  the  s|>irit  of 
sacrifice,    hut    poisoned   on    its   lower    levels   Ity   a    miasma 
tiiat    has    hred    mi-nnderstandin>;  and    division.     The    one 
man  who  l)yniiitual  consent  of  all  parties  lived  on  the  heijihts, 
secure   and    serene,    was    John    Kehle,    vicar   of    Ilursiey. 
Homely  aii.l  unamhitioiis,  it  seemed  stranf;<'  that  this  retiring 
and  .sequestered  chTcyman  should  have  heen  one  of  the  i)rin- 
eipal  factors  in  the  most  important  religious  movement  of  his 
<iay.     His  personality  was  not  easy  to  analyze  :    and  as  a  re- 
suit,  opinions  alxnit  him  have  not  heen  free  from  confu.sioii. 
A  rij;id  sacerdotaiist,  he  divided  the  human  family  into  three 
(hisses  :  Christians,  i)roperly  so  called  ;   Catholics,  Jews,  and 
Mohammedans;    heretics,  heathen,  and   unbelievers.     Vet, 
while  knowiiif;  little  of  the  mapiitude  of  mind  which  is  in- 
comparahly  above  any  other  intellectual  endowim'iit,  he  had 
generous   views  of  life  within  certain   marked    limitations, 
disj.pproviiis;  the  severities  of  William  Law,  and   remarkinj,' 
that  even  the  "Imitation  of  Christ"  should  be  read  with 
caution.       He   ailopted    Hutler's   dictum    that    Probability, 
not  demonstration,  is  the  .i,'ui«ie  of  life,  to  whidi  he  always 
adhered,  and   the   robust    jiolemic  of  Warburton    was   also 
eongcnial  to  tiie  more  masculine  features  of  his  nature.'     His 
writings   were  as   diversified    as   his   intellectual   character. 
They  contained   the   most   exciuisite   passages  and   stanzas 
mingled  with  almost  unintelligible  referciuvs  based  upon  his 
c(mcei)tions  of  tlw  infallibility  of  the  Churcii  and  the  Bible. 
Aetinfi;  under  an  impulse  that  had  its  source  in  beliefs  which 
many  educated  men  had  abandoned,  he  endeavored  to  sul)sti- 

•  "Dictiiinary  iif  .\:itiiiii:il  Hionraiihy"  ;    Vol.  .\X.\.  pp.  LMM -29."). 


■■     f 


a 


JOHN    HKNKY    NKWMAN 


465 


tutf   for   tlic  creods  of  IVoti'staiit  AiiKli<aiii>tn  tlinsr   iif  liis 
CuviiIkt  iortfatluTs.     Hut    fvrrytliin^;  wa>  l'..r;;ivcii,  if  not 
furpittiMi,  liy  all  Cliri^tiaiis  to  wlioin  lii>  h'.vrniiij,' ami  Moni- 
mg  Hyiiiiis  liail  Imtii  a  JM-iicdirtioii,  and  om  of  his  stronpst 
opponents  cU-scrilu'd   iiini  as  "a  ^riat    and  ^ood   man  \vlios«- 
iiieniory  will  last  as  loiij;  as  Christian  dcxotion  cxprtssfs  itself 
in  the  Knnli>h  ton^Mie."     Ilorii  in  a  sfcliulcd  cimntry  parish 
of  (doutrstcTshirc  ju•^t  heforc  tiir  dost  of  liu'  fi;;lit«'enth  cen- 
tury, Kel>le  was  the  fortunate  cliiid  of  an  old-fa>hione<l  rectory 
where  his  fatluT  represented  Mhoiarty  cnhnre,  iVaxer  Hook 
jtiety,  Carolinian  Cinircliinan^liip,  and  con.!,'cnital    Toryism. 
From  the  first  the  nm   \\a>  nurtured  in  conceptions  which 
afterwards  hreathed  in  lii-  poetry  and  were  e\eniplitie(l  in  his 
character.      As   Meth<Mii-m    -praiij,'    from   Kpworth   rectory, 
so  the  Oxford  Movement  si)rani;  from  tin-  vicara>;es  of  Coin 
.St.   Aldwins  and   'rotne-.     Kcl)lc    and    Kroiide    were    !li;;h 
Churchmen  hy  ancestral  ri^lit :  the  tenets  the,\  conveyed  to 
Newman   were   theirs    hy   iniieritanc'- ;   hi>    doctrinal   ante- 
cedents  differed    in  many  (v-seiitials.      Hut   the  three  men 
found    a    unity    of    l)lace    and    of    ideas    at    Oxford;    she 
refashioned     and    Mended    them     and    a-.wr    them    to    the 
Catholic   Hevival,  and  witli   them.  Miller,    I'almer,    I'usey, 
Hook,  and  ()^,Mlvie.     1-ike  IVoude,  I\el)le  remained  unshaken 
in  his  allepanci'  to  his  Church.     When  othcr>  lieiit  to  the 
storm,  or  asseverated  from  their  i)uli)its  tliat,  altliou;;h  faint, 
they  were  still  pursuinj;,  or  silently  stole  away  to  Itome,  he 
Kave  full  proof  of  his  staunchness  as  an  .\n>ilican  priest,  and 
this  notwithsta:»linf;  that   the  lo^'ic  of  his  l)eliefs  pointed 
directly  to  the  refuse  in  whicii  his  friends  and  protejies  found 
shelter.     Hut   thoufrii   he   admitted   the  strenjith  of   Home's 
canonical  position,  antl  ol)jected  to  her  doctrinal  corruptions 
with   a   timid   and   deferential   air.   he  chose   the   ilomcstie 
privacy  which  suited  hi->  pacific  disposition,  forsook  further 
l)referment  in  his  rniver-^ily,  married,  and  stayed  in  his  l()t 
to  the  end  of  liis  da\  -. 

Testimonv  to   his  importami'  as  the  aitual    founder   of 


i 

H 
W 


.I-- 


IH-i 
'I 


( 


I  I  i 


II.  i 


M 
•I'll 


ur  I 


mi'-:' 


t  \ ;! 


4()(i      TIIUKK    ItKLKlIOUS    LKADKItS   OF   OXFOFtD 

TriutariaiiisMi  lias  Utii  ^'i\,i.  I.y  D.-ai,  Cliiircli  ami  ulsn  hv 
NVwtnan.  "  L.m;;  iMlur.-  tlu>  Oxfonl  M..vnmiit  was  tlioiiKh't 
<•»".  or  lia.l  any  <l,fi„itc  >lia|K-.  a  iimnlMT  u(  its  .liaractcristi.- 
priiuipl.s  ami  uh-n-.  Iiail  tak.-n  a  strong  liold  .,f  tlu-  iniii<i 
of  a  tiiaii  of  KH-at  al.ility  atal  ^rcat  strioiisricss  .  .  .  John 
K.l>lf."  '  "Tlic  tnic  ami  primary  antlu.r  of  it,  as  is  usual 
with  Kr.-at  niotixr  pnw.  rs.  «i,s  o,it  of  -,i«ht.  Having;  carric.l 
<«ir  a>  a  men-  hoy  thr  lii;,'|it-r  [..•iiors  of  the  I'niv.rsitv,  he  had 
tnrn.d  from  tlu-  admiration  wliich  liaiintnl  his  sU'ps  and 
soiiKlit  for  a  IxtKT  and  a  lioli.r  siti^faction  in  pastoral  work 
in  the  (omitry.  N.rd  I  >ay  that  I  am  speaking  of  John 
KH>lt'.  ■-'  I'nscy  confirmnl  these  statements  and  so  did 
I)r.  James  M.  .\Fo/ley,  ulio  was  rei;ar<led  I.y  eompetent 
Jiidp-s  as  the  most  stimulating:  thinker  the  Church  of 
Kn^land   had  produced  >iii(e  Mntltr. 

When  Oriel  was  the  .enter  of  Oxford's  talent  ami  learning 
Kei.le  was  hailed  as  the  ^'|.,ry  of  the  c..II.k.-,  for  whom  cvorv 
visitor  m(,uire,l  an.l  expe.  te.l  to  see.     "The  slightest  word  he 
(Iropped  was  all  the  more  rememl.ered  from  the-e  hciiiK  so 
little  of  it.  and  from  it  seeming  to  come  from  a  ditfereiit  ami 
holier  sphere.-'     Vet  su.h  ^riants  as  Copleston.  Hawkins, 
Davison    ami    Whately    gathered    around    the   fire    in   the 
Oriel  Coimnon    llooin;   they   irave  tone  to  the   rniversity, 
and    it    was     imp(.s>il>le    that     Kei.le.    a    recently    elected 
fellow,  could  I.e  equal  t(.  tiair  skill  in  disputatii.n.  "  Truth  to 
tell,  he  was  not,  and  Sir  John  T.  Coleridge  hinted  that  he 
somttimes  yearned  for  the  Icvs  exacting  society  <.f  his  old 
friends  at  ('or|)us.     Mis  intellectual  end..winents  were  inferior 
to  his  classical  knouledKc.     In  scientific  matters  he  was  a 
tyr...     Tlioma>  ^^nz!.■y  recites  his  iimusinR  argument  with 
Hucklan  I,  the  i;e, .!,.-;,(,  wjiiej,  |;,>ted  all  the  way  from  Oxford 
to  Wimhoter.      K.  I.le  t.iok  Ids  stand  on  tlie  certaintv  of  the 
Almi>;hty  havini:  created  the  fo»il  remains  of  forme'r  exist- 
cm-es  in  the  six  day>  of  (Jenesi,.'      [J,,  was  an  eli.:,'ant  scholar, 


'  "Tlic  Oxf'.nl  .Mwvnnri.t    ■  :   ,,.  :i_>. 


-  ■■  A|i(il(iui:i  "  :  p.  17. 
V..I.  I,  ,,.  3s.         t  ii,i,i    ,,    ,7,j 


I       !, 


ji 


il   V 


.KilIN    IIKNKV    NKWMAN 


4( 


)t 


who  ciuihl  ili>(niir><'  witli  wiMlom  to  coiijftnial  li>t«'ii»'rs,  l>ut 
luitliiii^  ori^'iiiiil  \\ii->  ill  him,  nor  wih  he  littcil  for  IcaiU-rship 
in  hirp-  atl'air^.  lit-  rather  mtmiI  a^  mi  ciiiliiMhinfiit  of 
usa>t«"^  Hii'l  iii^titiitioii^  lir-t  ilccmni  Lamhaii  ami  then 
AfMistolic,  ami  a>  >U(  li  lir  Wii-.  rr^'iinliij  liy  IVomli-  aii<i  New- 
man. I)i«.hkinu  >|ieciilatiiiii  iiikI  the  eoin|(etitioii  ol'  trained 
inimls,  he  enil>raee(l  with  <  hilillike  tni>t  tlie  teaehiii>,'>  of 
the  Church  lie  ajiostrophi/eil  a-.  hi>  mother,  retaiiieii  iiiitar- 
nishi-tl  the  iin|)res>ioii>  of  lii>  \oiithfiil  yoo<hie^s,  ami  relin- 
quished tln'  rMi\er;-.itv  elhilKIice  to  wliicli  |ii>  eoilseerated 
(•hara<ter  entitled  luiii,  tliat  he  iiii;.lit  Imry  liim>elf  in  his 
euHK  y  at  Kast  L»'aeii  and  ihirtiioriie.  Tliis  decision,  while 
entirely  in  harinonv  with  his  wi>lu-,  Wii-  a  hemline  self- 
effacement.  \ ft  liy  it  lie  j;ained  what  he  most  desired, 
nearness  to  his  famil\ ,  oeape  from  the  turmoil  of  a  l)elli;;er- 
ent  world,  and  a  suitahle  en\iroiinieiit  for  uninterruirted 
communion  with  (mmI. 

In  1S;U  he  was  elected  Professor  of  Poetry  at  Oxford  in 
successi,-n  to  Dean  Miltiian,ami  held  tiie  ciiair  for  ten  years. 
His  I  .'s  and  experiences  a^  an  author  were  indicated  hy 

his  dei  '.ion  of  iM)etry  as  tiie  Ncrit  for  ^iircliarj:ed  fcclinjjs  or 
u  full  imagination.     His  nnisewasa  .  '-  i;ift  dedicated 

to  the  sanctuary  and  the  inner  life:    s<  i  tii  and  the 

ohjects  of  faith  with  cha^tcnes^  and  i)urity  Ol  _  .  ch.  "The 
Christian  Year,"  jnihli  ;  d  in  iM'7,  was  the  first  literary 
expression  of  Neo-.\iij;licanisni,  and  tlie  xolunie  made  him 
the  central  sim  of  his  then  contracted  Imt  rapiilly  cnlarjjinn 
sphere.  Newman  mildly  rcmoiislrated  that  its  doctrines, 
although  lovely,  were  not  suiiicicntly  tlioroiiu'h,  Imt  he  <lieer- 
fully  conceiled  that  the  ])opiilarity  of  Tractarian  ideas  was 
due  to  Kehle's  poetry.  Those  ideas  cciitcrcil  round  material 
phenomena  as  both  the  types  and  the  iiistr  neiits  of  thmj;s 
unseen, and  embraced  in  all  its  fullness wiiatt  .cr  was  received 
by  Catholics  as  well  as  Annlicaiis  concerniiii:  the  Sacraments, 
the  communion  of  saints,  and  the  mysteries  of  reli^'ion. 
Although  the   lyrics   in   which   these   wvn-  expressed    were 


'M 


w.n 


■ffti 


I)*l 


(!.i 


[ 


h  i 


:!i 


I 


4t»H      TIIKKK    UKI.Kilors    I.KADKUS   OK   oXTmud 

tli(tii^;litfiil  iihii  ^Hotliiiij;,  llirir  iiMkwanl  iiitttr  ainl  cun-itriic- 
tioii  iiiitl  (Mci-iohiil  (iltMiirit.s  were  m>  iiiiirktil  that  Witnls- 
\Mirtli  (iiriTcil  til  inmci  tlirir  KiikII^Ii.  Ndr  wen-  thcv  |MH'trv 
n|'  tli<'  iiH\itjililc  kind:  llnv  lurked  tlir  liinlicst  |>lay  of 
j>ii->-iiiii  (ir  pits,  ami  tluir  plariiiitM'^  wire  far  ninovnl  from 
"till-  haiitran  liaiiir  in  wli  .li  all  tliiii^'^  arr  traiisimitnl  to 
tlic  iol(.r>  of  a  -ii|iiTiiatiiral  world."  Di^pitc  tlicsc  draw- 
liai  k-<  tlic\  uirr  fa\oraiil\  rcctivrd  not  onlv  l)\  tlir  Cliiircli 
ill  p'liiTiil  I. lit  aUo  l.\  thr  lit,  rar\  world.  .Ml  frit  that  KVId,- 
had  -truck  an  ori>;iiial  note  and  aroii-cd  a  iirw  iiiiisii-  in  thr 
heart -<  of  niiiltitiide-. 

'I'akiiij;  the  Itook  of  ( 'ommoii  i'ra.\  er  for  his  miide,  he  eoiii- 
I»o-ed  a  poetical  inaiiiial  of  reli>;ioii-,  Miititneiit  which,  thoii>;h 
soinefiines  de^eiii  ratiii;;  into  >entiineiitali>m.  hecaine  an  un- 
iloiiltted>oiirceof  pioii>  inspiration.     The  winsome  tenderness 
he  di>pla\r<i  toward  the  id.aNof  I Ii;;h  An^'lican  Worship  was 
couched  in  iiio\  iiii;  and  iinall'ected  laiiuua>;i'.      .*  nticpie  prej- 
iidice-i  and  cxtrctnc  opinion-  occa-ionalh  protrii,.    '.,  yet  they 
were  not  ><>  pronounced  a-  to  aroiiM-  Mctariaii  ..•M'litmeiit, 
which  was  lulled  to  shnnher   l.y  tlie  unction  of  the  writers 
iiielodie-.     The  well-known    truth  already  mentione<l  in  the 
ehapters  on  \Ve>|ey,  that  sacr<d    i)oetry  is  lilind  to  heten*- 
doxy,  was  seldom  liettcr  illiiMrate.1.     His   hahit,    however, 
oi"  inappiiiiT  ont  the  .li;:litc-,t   allusion  in  the  (Josih'Is  so  as 
to    have   a    well   define.l   and   appropriat*'  mood    of  poetry 
for  as  many  day-   as  pos-iMe   in   the  calendar  evoked   the 
reliiike  of  -omc  critic-,  who  coini)laiue(l.  not  without  justice, 
that  the  snialle-t  item  of  hi-toric  incident  or  moral  epithet 
wa-  forced  into  the  -cr\  ice  of  thin  and  feminine  verse,  which 
wa-  (.ften  \auue  and  formless.      Map-hot's  pim^-nt  comment 
wa-  that  it  translated  Word-worth  for  women.     The  poems 
coiitrilmted  to  the  "l.yra  .Vpo-tolica  "  and  the  "Lyra  luno- 
ceiitium."  which  followed  tlio-e  of  '•The  Christian  Year." 
aildcd    nothiiii;    to    Kcl.le'-    fame.     This    was    permanently 
secured  l>\  hi-,  hc-t  lyric-,  w  liich  will  Ionic  '•»■  associated   witii 
those  of    |{i-lio|)  Ken    for  their   fraicrant   devotion   an<l    in- 


.lOlIN    IIKNUN     NKVVMAN 


UW) 


sifttt'tHf  iiiMHi  tlu'  ilaily  <  (HiMcnitinii  til'  (  liri^liim  lVI|i>\\>lii|». 
Full  t>f  >|iiritiial  ^iinp-tivi  iic^n.  nplitf  with  »wtrtni»  ami 
(Iflicacy,  happy  in  tluir  nli  nin  «■>  ti.  tlic  iiuMcr  a-.|M«ts 
uf  Natiin-,  ami  ^tfrptd  in  llif  sKTaiiifiit.il  ii-.ip-  of  tin- 
<'iiiiriii  all*!  ill  tin-  liltiT  ami  -jiirit  uf  tlic  Hililc,  tiny  liavc 
luinlitnHfl,  atl(>riif<l.  ami  liallitwcd  tlic  |)raiMs  cf  the  ( 'liiinli. 
l{<M'iitfiil  of  the  prt'pnmlcraiit  iiittllcitiiali^in  i>f  tlic  ilay, 
with  it>  attrmlaiit  i'piti^iii  ami  ^tcrililN  iit  iiiutivc  power; 
>{ivfii  to  alliijoriial  ami  famil'iil  iiittTprctation  ;  ^iiIimtvI- 
oiit  to  patri-tic  illustration^  of  ritual  ami  wor--hip;  a-,  a  rule 
ini'«'k  as  a  laiiili,  hut  liahlrtooii'linak^of  tt  iniii  r  when  lii>  |»et 
tlie«)rit's  were  a->siileil ;  ami  «)a  rated  from  the  Mteial  exi^t- 
fiiee  of  the  majority  of  hi-,  f  ilow  ( (iiiiitr,>  nun  ;  --iii  h  was 
John  Kehle,  the  Naint  aiul  ^iiiyer,  wlio  lived  to  >ee  lii>  princi- 
ples promulgated  in  coiinth ->  pari^hc^  and  hi-  !niiii:^trations 
extended  throughout  Kn;:laiid  and  Ainerici.  lii>  -.jiiritiial 
elevation,  his  laiidalile  eonxcratioii  of  \i-ilile  means,  hi-, 
passion  for  the  holiness  of  ('liri-.tiaii  adoration  helped  to 
remove  from  the  Church  tiie  >tat;iiation  and  dearth  he 
deplored.  lie  pa»ed  his  day-  -urroiimlcd  hy  the  propi- 
tious eireiim-tances  of  an  orderly  and  >omewhat  ari.>ti>- 
eratie  society,  in  which  he  dwilt  at  peace,  yet  roentfiil 
toward  mai'\  as|)<'et>  of  the  actual  life  of  iii-.  time.  'l'helo\- 
iiij;  eulof;ie>  la\i>licd  on  him  were  not  alwa_\>  wi>e  or  dis- 
criminating;, for  the  'I'ractarian-  xmictinic-  iimmI  very  exalted 
terms  ahoiit  one  aiiotlier,  and  few  of  tliein  i- mid  lie  tni.-ted  tn 
sit  in  jiidjimcnt  on  tiicir  patron  >aiiit.  Notwitli-tamlin^; 
these  misapprelicn>ion-.  the  real  man  wa>  -iii>;iilarly  lofty 
and  unassumint;:  in  mo-.t  rc>|)ects  worthy  not  oiil\  of  oteem 
but  of  affectionate  reMTeiicc.  Kehle  Collet;!',  Oxfonl, 
erected  after  lii.>  death,  wa>  raiMcl,  -aid  Canon  Liddon, 
"to  the  memory  of  a  (piiet  conntrv  cl(T;,'yiiiaii,  with  a  very 
miMleratc  income,  who  -cdnloii-l.v  a\oidcd  piihlic  di-tinc- 
tioiis,  and  held  tcnacioii>ly  to  an  un|)n]>iilMr  scIhkiI  all  his 
life.  .  .  .  The  more  men  really  know  of  liiiii,  who,  liciiii; 
dead,  has,  in  virtue  of  tl'     rich  i;ifts  aiul  urace-  with  which 


i 


470      TIIHKK   UKIJC.IOIS   LKADKUS  OF  OXFORD 


^Hl 


,t 


11 


!      , 


hi 


Go;!  lias  t'lilttwci  liiiii,  siiiimiiiiifd  this  collcjrt.  into  hciiifr, 
tlic  lr>-  wiil  ijrv  III  irvcl  ;it  Ml  !i  a  tril)Ut('  to  liis  jjrofoimd  an  I 
(■M.l-iriiii;  iiill  i.n  c."  '  [i,  tlicM-  wur.ls  we  tVfl  the  oriciitatioii 
of  KcMc'-  spirit  ;  hy  tin  in  we  nrc  made  aware  :)f  his  saiiit- 
liiK-ss  and  t>(  lii>  nohlcr  a>|)iratiuii     wliicdi 

"■    .    .   loiiic  !iMii-li;.'iirc(|  liMck, 
See  I  lie  from  cliMiiLri-  in  llnir  liii;li-lu';irtcil  \v;i\s. 
HiMillil'iil  I'NcTliinrc,  :ilii|  uitli  till'  r;ivs 
Of  Moni  oil  ihcii-  wliit,-  ^l,i(l(l>  (if  IlxjHctatiim." 


Ill 

One  of  tlic  first  fruits  of  Xcwinatrs  friciidsliip  with  Kr()u<h> 

and  K(l)ic  wa>  a  marked  increase  in  the  sense  of  iiis  personal 

responsil.iMty  for  the  spjriiiial  welfare  of  jMipils  eoniniitted 

to  his  care,     i'.-tei  niin;;  lii>  eoliej;e  (hities  a  pastoral  priviK-fje, 

h<'  nfnsed  to  iiiT-e  tiie  eU'rie  in  tiie  scholar.      A  h)fty  pro- 

J)hiliestraiiil.(t:;;ntop<'rvji(hIiisntteranees.     ThehiwOf  the 

Chnnh,  wiiieii  he  eon^nied  yet  more  and  more  according: 

to  the  staiuhirds  of  CathnHc  Aii-hcanisi.i,  prevaih-d  in   liis 

eondnet  and  in  tiiat  of  those  whom  he  inflneneed.     Writiiij; 

to  his  mother  he  informed   lier  that  his  eii<;af,'einents  i)re- 

oinpted  liis  time  and  eiier-y,  niahinj;  him  an  exile  from  those 

he   so    much    loved.'     Kverythin.i;   else  was  eclipsed    hy    his 

•  levotion  to  the  immediate  ser\  ice  of  (J,,.!,  which  expelled  all 

less.T  affairs  as  a  stron-  plant  in  a  hedjj;,.n,\v  drives  out  or 

sterili/cs  the  rest.     Fronde,  who  had  hecn  elected  to  an  Oriel 

fellowship   and    tutorship   in    iM'i;,   entered   enthusiastically 

into  the  propauandisuis  whicii  wer.'  the  daily  hread  of  l)()th 

men,  and  when  he  deemed  it  desirahle  didmit  hesitate  t<) 

iirire  liis  comi.aiii..n  to  still  -reater  lenj;ths.     In  relation  to  his 

ajic,   .Xewman   may   \w  rei^ardcd   as  a   jiioneer  of  the  Ilif^h 

An^dican  moxcmcnt  then  iriitheriiii;  its  first  imi)etus.     Hut 

liis  was  not  a  happy,  fiill-l,|,„,dnl  sjiirit,  ;ind  in  his  strugj,'le 

'  •   l|cn.,,|    Lit,.  ;,,„!    W,„|,  ■•,     pp.  ;(-;;    ;j,- , 

' '■I.citcr,,  and  (■..ric^i.ond.Mi.c"  ;    \-,,l.  I,  p.  115, 


\»ii 


:\  I 


I-  \ 


«      4 

it 


JOHN    IIKNUY   NEWMAN 


471 


against  a  vigDroiis  opposition,  lie  ahandoiied  himsolf  to  tliat 
belittlinj;  view  of  Iminiui  nature  which  is  frequently  an 
evidenee  of  religious  fatigue  rathe*-  than  of  religious  dis- 
cernment. Other  •  mI  very  diil'erer.t  i)ersonalities  of  the 
nineteenth  century  shared  his  despair  over  a  general 
condition  which  ottered  large  opportunity  for  discontent  as 
well  as  renunciation.  Though  some  new  truths  which  soundi-d 
dolefully  to  him  were  grateful  to  them,  all  alike  were  dis- 
tressed hy  the  moral  ami  spiritual  enigmas  their  times  pre- 
sented, (u'orge  Kliot,  who  somewhat  rescmhled  and  greatly 
admired  Newman,  distilled  through  iictioii  a  stoical  resigna- 
tion and  a  calm  resolve  to  endure  the  worst.  Arthur  Hugh 
riough  gave  up  the  whole  prohlem,  yet  still  clung  to  it  in 
blank  hewilderment.  TcnnyMHi  eventually  succeeded  in 
reaching  a  stage  of  faith  where,  on  the  whole,  the  odds  were  in 
favor  t>f  heaven.  Browning's  oi)timism.  so  often  laudc<l,  was 
sometimes  too  insistent  to  he  convincing.  Newman,  like 
Matthew  Arnold,  at  this  moment  was  dejectedly 

"VViindoriii);  ln'twi-cn  two  worlds, 
One  (Ifiul,  tlu'  otliiT  powerless  to  In-  l)orii."  ' 

He  complained  of  the  present  state  of  things,  which  his  change 
of  opinion  obliged  him  to  represent  in  its  worst  form,  and 
retreated  to  an  obscure  i)ast,  over  which  he  threw  the  legend- 
ary halo  of  an  exceeding  sanctity.  Harassed  by  modernity, 
and  its  supposed  preference  for  material  aggrandizement, 
he  resorted  to  anticpiity  and  its  sui)i)osed  preference  for 
qualitative  perfection.  The  future,  luing  su|)rcmc,  became 
as  nothing;  the  past  became  everything.  In  journey- 
uig  toward  this  goal,  he  forsook  to  a  large  degree  the 
wider  areas  of  human  life  and  forfeited  that  wholeness  of 
contemi)lation  which  becomes  the  historian  and  the  thinker. 
The  large  majority  of  men  who  must  be  content  to  dwell  far 
below  the  sunnnits  of  achievement,  l)Ut  who  instinctively 
renew  their  youth  and  perform  the  cyclopcan  tasks  of  the 

'  John  F.  (ioiiuun  :    ■  StoviMisonV  Attitmle  to  Life"  :    p.  0. 


.•I  If; 


■  '*! 
it 


:1f 


I ; 


ir        I 


■(  ; 


472      TUKKK    liKLIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

race,  were  of  littlt-  nioiiu'iit  (•()mi)arfd  with  the  few  outstand- 
uiK  figures  to  whom  he  attached  the  entire  meaning  of  exist- 
ence. Beneath  liis  faihire  to  aeeommodate  himself  to  his 
surroiiiulinfrs  oi)erated  a  vivid  retentive  mind,  content  to 
dwell  in  the  primitive  orfjanizations  of  (Miristianity,  finding 
in  their  persecutions  and  comiiiests  the  example  and  the 
stimulus  for  a  present  r«>adjustment.  The  mij;hty  drama 
of  (Jod's  ceaseless  working  was  thus  woefully  circum- 
scrihcd,  and  many  of  the  forces  which  have  helped  to 
weave  the  fahric  of  Christian  civilization  were  treated  as 
ncf;lif.'il)le  quantities. 

He  voict-<l  his  dissatisfaction  with  the  barren  levity  and  the 
thirst  for  false  an<l  worthless  things  and  the  hiindness  to  all 
majestic  or  trajjical  tendenci.  ,  in  the  following  .sentiments: 
"We  can  scarce  open  any  ,.    the  lighter  or  poi)ular  publica- 
tions of  the  day  without  falling  upon  some  panegyric  on  our- 
selves, ()n  the  illumination  and  humanity  of  the  age,  or  upon 
some  disparaging   remarks   on   the  wisdom   and    virtue  of 
former   times.       Xow  it   is  a    most  salutary  thing  under 
this    temptation  to   self-conceit,  to  be  reminded,   that  in 
all    the    highest    fpialifications    of    human    excellence,    we 
have    been    far    outdone    by    men    who    lived    centuries 
ago ;  that  a  standard  of  truth  and    holiness  was  then  set 
up,   which   we  are   not  likely  to  reac-h ;    and  that,  as  for 
thinking  to  become  wiser  or  better,  or  more  acceptable  to 
(J(k1    than  they   were,    it   is   a   mere   dream.'"        He   ear- 
nestly wished  that  St.  Paul  or  St.  John  could  rise  from  the 
liead   to  show  tliis  untoward   generation  that   its    boasted 
knowledge  was  but  a  shadow  of  jniwer,  and  cause  the  minute 
pliilosophers  who  dared  to  scrutinize   the  traditions  of  the 
faith  to  shrink  into  nothingness.     "  Ar  we  not  come  to  this," 
lie  asked,  ••i^  it  not  our  shame  as  a  nation,  that,  if  not  the 
.\p()stles  themselves,  at  least  the  Kcclesiastical  Sy.stem  they 
rlevised.  and  the  Order  they  foimded.  are  viewed  with  cold- 
ness and  disrespect;'     Ih.w   few  there  are  who  look  with 

'  ■•  Parochial  and  Plain  Sciinoiis  "  :    Vol.  II,  Sfriuon  XXXII 


.  :i 


i    ■  i 


JOHN    IIKNUY    NKWMAN 


473 


reverent  interest  upon  tlie  Ilisliops  f)l'  the  riuircli  as  tlie 
Suceessors  of  the  Apostles;    honoring  them,  if  they  honor, 
merely  heeause  tluy  like  them  as  iii(ii\  iduals,  an<l  not  from 
any  thought  of  the  peculiar  saeredness  of  their  office."  ' 
The  dexterity  of  these  statements  is  apparent,  aiul  much 
they  eontauuHl  enlists  ap])roval.     Hut  his  identification  of 
the  Apostles,  who  were  the  immortal  servants  of  mankind 
and  the  personal  sources  of  an  unparalleled  reconstruction  of 
religion,  with  his  own  ee<'lesiastical  order  was  a  gratuitous 
assumption   which   deft   j)hrasinjr   co\ild    not   conceal.     His 
udoraticm  of  former  times  and  dejjreciation  of  the  present 
and  the  future  led  hhn  to  ignore  one  half  of  history.     The 
services  of  justice  and  freedom,  knowledge  and  jjliilanthropy 
in   nineteenth  century  England  were  left  outside  his  con- 
sideration.     He    felt    that    she    had    few    attinities    with 
Apostolic  life  and  thought,  hut  many  with  (Ireek  and  Roman 
paganism.     That  she  also  had,  as  have  all  nations,  organs 
and  proclivities  for  living  the  life  of  the  si)irit  ai)art  from 
sacerdotal  governance,  he  would  not  concede.     The  theory 
of    nivcrsal  depravity  he  had  retained  from  Calvinism  over- 
lo.  vcd  some  better  elements  which  nuist  he  present  in  men's 
souls  if  they  are  to  recognize,  understand,  and  obey  the  over- 
tures of  divine  love.     And  in  addition,  Xt'wraan  was  always 
liable  to  an  emotional  logic  which  blurred  important  facts 
and  lamed  his  conclusions. 

A  serious  illness  which  befi'U  him  about  this  time  left  him 
with  a  quickened  realization  of  his  religions  i\eeds.  Never 
robust  in  body,  always  an  endless  toiler,  he  si)ent  himself 
until  what  heahh  he  had  was  seriously  impaired.  His 
eyesight  failed,  his  voice  grew  faint,  his  form  was  worn  to 
emaei.-tion.  At  last  he  collapsed,  but  <lespitt>  everything,  he 
still  felt  the  impulse  of  his  purposes,  and  the  contrition  of  a 
genuine  seeker  after  (lod,  who  confessed  to  Him  what  he 
would  never  confess  to  man,  and  having  done  so,  renewed  his 
vows  and  resumed  his  (piest.     Then  came  the  death  of  his 

'  "Piirocliinl  :iii(l  I'laiii  Scrnioiis";    Vol.  II.  Scrmmi  XXXII. 


i 


p 


I)! 


\l 


t 

•i  ' 
,1 


474      THRKK    KKLKJIOIS    LKADKRS   OK   OXFORD 

imich  l(,v,-(l  sister  Mary,  hrinjiinjr  „ith  it  the  moral  elevation 
of  a  lasting  sorrow,  ami  i«ij,'etniiiatinf,'  those  indefitiite, 
vaKiie.  and  withal  suhtle  feeliiijjs  whieh  made  the  soul 
within  him  forlorn  aiwl  well-nij,'ii  eomfortless.  Nor  <lid  he 
find  relief  in  the  nirai  haunts  of  the  west  coimtry,  where  he 
spent  a  hrief  holiday  wiiile  eonvalescin,!:.  TraKieocciirrenees 
were  associated  with  pastoral  sights  and  seenes;  they  re- 
minded him  of  the  dear  one  who  had  jr,„„. ;  "  Mary,"  hesaid, 
"seems  emhodied  in  every  tree  and  every  hill.  What  a  veil' 
and  curtain  this  world  of  sense  is!  beautiful,  hut  still  a 
veil."  ' 

His  campaii;!!  for  the  hinrl,  doctrines  of  the  Church  now 
hecame  more  dir.^ct,  shaped  as  it  was  hy  these  causes  that 
separated    him    from    other   contentions   and    interests    not 
fjermane  to  the  main  concern.     Alarmed  by  the  negativism 
of  the    rationalists  and    by    the   destructive    tendencv    of 
philosoph. .       lio  considered  intellect  and  enlightened  virtue 
all    their  ow.i,  he  i)assed  out    of  the   shadow   of  liberalism 
which  had  hitherto  darkened  his  orbit  into  a  resentful  mood 
which  confuse.1  constructive  and  sympathetic  teaching  with 
the   errors   of   infirlelity   and    looked    upon  all  theories  an- 
tagonistic to  his  own  as  one  chaotic  mass.     Though  uncon- 
scious of  it,  he  an.l  his  allies  were  themselves  in  bondage  to 
the  deistic  notion  of  an  infinite  separation  between  the  Oe- 
at(.r    and    creation.     Schleiermacher's    doctrine   of   Divine 
Immanence,  and  also  that  develope<l  by  Coleridge,  seemed 
to  High  Churchmen  a  i)resumptuous  and  pantheistic  denial 
of  the  personality  of  C.o.l  but  .me  remove  from  atheism. 
1  he  open-min.ledness  of  the  Cerman  theologian  toward  the 
Holy  Nriptures  was e(,ually  repugnant.     Tractarians claimed 
tliat  they  .oul.l  un.lerstand  a  Bible  miraculouslv  indite<l  and 
preserve<|    intact    thr..ughout    its   wonderful    historv  •    thev 
««'»ld  not  un.lcrstan.l  that  the  Holy  .Spirit  .lirecte.l  the  sacred 
authors  without  einptyin-  tiieni  of  their  in.lividualitv.     Any 
attack  upon  the  acccptc  .  position  that  the  Hible  was  througli- 

'  "LetU-rs  ami  ("orro.siiomJome"  ;    Vol.  I,  p.  101. 


JOHN    HFLNUY    NKWMAN 


475 


out  an  unin.peaclnibk'  revelation  of  the  will  of  (lod  they 
vigorously  resented.  The  idea  that  its  contents  were  the 
more  eonvincinp  because  the  writers  were  not  n-duced  to  the 
level  of  automata,  but  freely  exercised  their  several  gifts 
and  graces,  was  obnoxio\is  to  tin  n.  In  a  word,  the  ditl'er- 
ence  between  their  viewpoint  and  that  of  the  new  scholar- 
ship was  the  dilVerence  between  hypnosis  and  inspiration. 

Again,  revivals  of  religion  such  as  the  one  which  swept 
through  Hritain  and  her  colonies  in  the  preceding  century 
were  (lenounce<l  by  .\nglo-<  atholics  as  detrimental  to  the 
life  and  action  of  the  ("hurch  :  eniotio'ial  whirlwinds,  raising 
the  dust  of  fanaticism,  heresy,  and  schism.  Periodical  rc- 
generati(ms  had  a  Scriptural  and  historic  sanction  (piite  as 
traceable  as  that  of  apostolic  succi-ssion,  and  one  which  was 
by  no  means  as  open  to  valid  objectioi;-*.  The  power  to  ino\  e 
men  and  women  to  spiritual  decision  has  always  been  a  hall- 
mark of  New  Testament  authority  and  benediction.  Never- 
theless clerics  of  the  type  of  Newman,  Keble,  Fronde,  and 
I'usey,  together  with  many  educated  and  ignorant  laymen  in 
the  Church  of  England,  were  timroughly  set  against  these 
maniiVstations  and  all  tliat  they  [jortended.  The  Tractarians 
enunciate<l  the  jirinc  iple  that  formal  law  obtains  in  the 
spiritual  as  in  the  physical  realm.  Irregular  and  si)asmodic 
outbreaks  of  religious  ferxor  contradicted  their  main  premise 
that  the  divine  life  in  man  was  |)art  of  an  external  process, 
and  as  such,  acted  indi-pendently  of  his  transient  states  of 
mind.  They  belie\ed  that  the  sources  of  >piritual  renewal 
and  sustenance  were  as  stable  and  irre\dcable  a>  the  opera- 
tions of  nature,  and.  like  these,  were  universal,  not  i)rovincial ; 
continuous,  not  intermittent ;  primarily  obtained  by  submis- 
sion and  obedience  to  ostensible  authority,  rather  than 
through  inward  experience.  Tiiis  sai crihital  rule  suited  the 
complexion  of  minds  content  to  rest  on  its  assumi)ti(ins,  and 
not  repelled  by  its  mechanical  and  materialized  processes. 
Hut  it  destroyed  the  .New  Tistament  democracy  of  believers 
by  treating  the  dispensation  of  Divine  grace  as  a  hierarchi- 


47(»      TIIRKK    HKLICIOIS    I.KADKUS   OK   OXFORD 


!i 


'U-\ 


I  .' 


(■ill  in(»n(i|)(>ly.  and  l)y  dcnv  in>;  tlu-  rijiht  of  approach  to  (lod 
unless  nicdiatfi!  tlirouuli  an  ordainrd  |)ricstl)oo(l.  Loyalty 
to  foMcrctf  ol)jiTtivcs  of  faith,  which  asscrti-d  unhroken 
n-iations  with  tlie  vt-ry  pn-st-ncc  and  word  of  Josus  Christ 
whiii'  \lv  actually  walked  on  the  earth,  was  substituted  for 
the  wrestliii^rs  and  pleadings  of  K"ilty  siiuiers  who,  like  .Ia<'oh 
at  the  hrook  Jaltliok,  invoked  for  themselves  the  Hverlas*- 
inj;  Mercy,  ^'et,  as  in  his  case,  the  discipline  of  these  more 
heroical  ventures  ohtaineil  for  men  their  diviiiest  ^ifts 
and  produced  the  i.Tand  i)er>onalities  of  the  Church.  They 
were  not  as  general  in  their  scojje  as  was  the  easier  method 
which  depended  u])on  the  ^'uarantees  of  a  visible  orj;aniza- 
tion.  Hut  though  they  had  no  such  width  of  api)lication, 
their  certitudes  were  enshrined  in  the  human  soul,  their  in- 
securities were  on  the  surface. 

At  this  moment  Romanticism  appeared,  (reatiiif;  a  senti- 
mental a|)preciation  for  Catholic  peculiarities,  and  flinfiinf; 
a  delusive  <,'lainour  over  the  so-called  ajres  of  faith.  He- 
fined  spirits  of  an  lesthetic  turn,  whether  in  Cermany,  France, 
or  Kn;;land,  w»'re  enraptured  with  the  sensuous  beauty  and 
seeniliness  of  medievalism.  Loving'  every  era  better  than 
their  own,  they  turned  from  the  rush  of  surrounding  forces 
which  they  dreaded  to  bewitching;  presentations  of  the 
chivalry  they  adore<l.  Their  literature  and  art  idealized  the 
triumphs,  tlu-  tragedies,  the  ;;ay  l)vr<,  th.'  deadly  hates 
of  the  period,  until  it  bepm  to  assume  tie  appearance 
of  a  jrolden  ajje.  wherein  men  wrought  greatly  because 
they  ^'reatly  obeyed  and  l)clieved.  Its  strangle  veneerinj: 
of  both  tenderness  and  ferocity  l)y  relif;ious  rites  aii<l 
observant'cs  j;ave  scojx-  to  tlios«'  whose  actual  knowledge 
of  the  events  they  treated  wa>  too  often  a  thing  of  shreds 
and  patches  but  wiiosc  fancies  were  no  longer  fettered. 
There  was  aNo  a  rc\  ulsioii  against  the  debased  taste 
in  architecture  tii.it  had  licstuilded  the  land  with  sipiat 
ugly  meeting-houses  and  nondescript  (Jeorgian  churches,  the 
very  hideuii-nc-s  of  which  was  supposed  to  be  a  protection 


'         1    i  it 


j^,        -" 


JOHN    HKXIIY    NFAVMAN' 


Vl 


against  the  lure  of  Uoiiif's  );or>,'«'<»iis  faiu's  arnl  ritualistic 
decorations.  Tlu-  piiriimount  infliiciicc  of  Sir  Walter  Scott 
was  (liif  to  the  fact  that  "lie  tnrncil  mcn">  tlimi^rlils  in  the 
direction  of  the  Middle  A^es.  TIk'  ^'cncral  need  of  Miniething 
more  attractive  than  wiiat  liad  ofl'cred  it>cif  elsewhere  may  l)e 
considered  to  have  led  to  his  |)(ii)nlarity  ;  and  !)y  means  of  his 
popularity  he  reacted  on  liis  rea<lcr>,  stinmlatiii;,'  tlieir 
mental  thirst,  fcedinj;  their  ho|)<'s.  x-ttin;;  licfore  them  \  isions, 
which,  when  once  seen,  arc  not  easily  for^rotten,  and  silently 
indoctrinating  them  with  nol)ler  ideas,  which  might  after- 
wards he  appealeil  to  as  Hrst  princi|)lcs."  '  This  rallxingto 
fiction  as  the  storehouse  of  first  principles  was  the  infirmity 
of  some  Romanticists,  who,  had  they  known  more,  would 
have  imagined  less.  Impervious  to  the  verdicts  of  knowledge 
an<l  reason,  they  attempted  to  turn  the  tide  and  again  im- 
pose upon  the  church  and  nation  those  forms  of  supremacy 
that  had  been  thrown  off  l)y  tlu-  resurgent  energies  of  life 
itself.  The  degradation,  the  cruelty,  the  oppression  which 
characterized  medievalism  were  ignored,  while  its  statily 
symbolism  and  sacramental  authority  were  lauded  and  imi- 
tated by  clerics,  artists,  poets,  essayists,  and  novelists  who 
viewed  them  through  the  media  of  pontifical  and  princely 
display,  knights  in  shining  armor,  (Jothic  minsters,  and 
Dante's  poetry.  They  had  nuich  to  say  which  gave  veri- 
.similitude  to  their  pleas  for  the  soul  of  honor  and  of  virtue  in 
past  days  of  mingle<l  giKxl  and  evil.  But  what  they  said 
was  not  always  substantiated  by  the  facts  which  divide  and 
compound  man's  dual  nature.  I'rophcts  who  prophesied 
falsely,  they  eluded  disagreeable  realitio ;  fomented  tiie 
dissensions  which  have  weakened  the  structure  of  Iv.iglish- 
speaking  society  and  aggravati-d  the  religious  di\i>ioiis  they 
prop(,sed  to  obliterate.  Their  god  was  roplendeiit  to  the 
uninstructed  eye,  but  its  feet  were  of  clay.  .Sdtt  was  con- 
.scious  of  this  misdirection,  and,  contrary  to  his  ])rcdilectious, 
gave  the  laurel  to  the  Covenanter  rathtr  than  to  his  perse- 


478      THIIKK    UELKilOlS   F.EADERS  OF   OXFORD 


m 


r>  I 


=  t . 


cutors.  Thus  wliilc  tlio  work  of  the  Romanticists  was  iti  many 
iiistaii((  >  injurious  to  religion,  it  was  condiicivi'  to  a  renais- 
sanco  of  Catliolici^ni.  IVofossor  Mi(!itftTt  properly  ol>- 
siTVfs  tliat  "tin-  OxfunI  Movcinciit  j,'avi'  delayed  l)Ut  some- 
what distorted  expression  to  certain  elements  of  tlic  romantic 
sjjirit."  ' 

Newman,  wiio  f»'lt  a  j.'rowinj;  attachment  to  ("liristiaii 
anti(|iiity.  contrasted  its  unity,  continuity,  and  effectiveness 
witii  the  hazardous  experiments  of  intcHectuaiism  then  heinj; 
indicted  ui)on  tlie  faitli.  To  offset  these  he  returned  to  the 
precedents  of  third  and  fourth  century  cliurchmanship,  ad- 
vocating' them  without  sufficient  allowance  for  the  organic 
ehanjres  wliich  had  since  been  evolved.  It  was  not  alto- 
gether native  to  hi>  hahit  to  reason  in  tliis  fashion  ;  for  he  was 
instinctively  distrustful,  and  showed  at  intervals  that  his  be- 
lief in  the  heroic  epochs  of  Catholicism  was  not  only  deter- 
minative of  his  new  creed,  hut  still  more  a  refuge  from  the 
tempestuous  doubts  and  <|uestionings  to  which  his  soul  was 
susceptible,  lie  had  rebelled  against  those  who,  as  he 
conceived,  were  en<leavoring  to  undermine  the  princii)le  of 
authority  to  which  \n  rendered  special  reverence.  If  the 
Church  was  not  the  guardian  of  etliics  and  religion,  the  quali- 
fieil  censor  of  morals,  the  natural  champion  (>f  faith,  the 
mentor  of  mankind  in  si)iritual  matters,  what  could  he  said 
for  organized  (  hristianity  ?  Separa'  d  from  his  former  com- 
panions and  from  much  of  the  actual  life  of  his  fellow  men  ; 
entranced,  as  he  was,  by  the  ideal  of  a  living,  growing  Kcclesia 
either  opposing  or  controlling  the  world.  Newman  knew  not 
for  the  monunt  where  his  true  strength  lay.  Heset  by  such 
trying  circumstances,  his  subjective  faith  broke  down  beneath 
the  weight  of  externalism.  That  assurance  which  is  not 
an  energy  of  intellect,  or  heart,  or  imagination,  but  rather 
the  spontajieous  and  irresistible  vitality  which  use.^  these 
faculties,  was  not  his  at  the  crisis.  At  the  beginning  of  his 
ministry,  with  the  doctrines  of  Kvangelicidism  retreating  into 

'  "The  Uise  cf  Modem  Ueliuiuus  Icioas";   p.  1U4. 


L    'J 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWM.W 


47<.» 


il 


those  siilu'Diiscion^  rciiliii^  Iroin  wliidi  tiny  were  tu-vor  t-ii- 
tinly  eliminated,  lie  \vli()->e  inis>iuii  it  \vii>  to  |)r(i(laiiii  salva- 
tion to  otiiers  \\a>  no  lon^'er  ^uri'  of  it  himself.  In  his 
(listres:.  he  renewi-d  lii>  yonlliliil  fnnilne>s  for  the  I-'athers 
whom  Whately  hail  (iippantlx  termed  "certain  old  divines," 
and  found  in  them  the  remaining'  source  of  hi^  recount  met  ed 
theolojiy.  ila\  in;;  little  or  no  conlidenee  in  a  ])ro^res>i\e 
de\eloi)inent  that  was  not  controlled  1>\  the  Churcli,  and 
an  ever-present  fear  of  scientific  iii\(-.ti^'ations  as  entailing' 
moral  anarchy,  he  nni>t  need>  lice  with  nn-peakaiile  relii'f 
to  the  ancient  masters  who  hecanie  his  Strong'  Rock  and 
House  of  Dt'fense.  Me;;iiniin;;  with  St.  l^'tiatius  and  St. 
.Justin,  he  rea<l  them  in  their  ehriinnloy;ical  order  until  he 
arrived  at  the  hroad  philoMipJiy  of  St.  (  lement  i«f  Alexamlria 
and  Ori^en.  Their  homilies  and  meditations  carri<'d  him 
hack  from  pn>cnt  ( vi|s  to  their  own  times,  and  in  his  re- 
cession he  eoncei\'ed  a  still  greater  detestation  for  nnKlern 
methods  which  created  more  difficnlties  than  they  settleil. 
The  Fathers'  discourses  "  came  like  mn^ic  to  my  ear,"  he 
declared,  "as  if  the  response  to  ideas  which  I  had  ( herished 
so  lon^.  'I'hey  were  hased  on  tlu  mystical  or  sacramental 
prineij)le,  and  spoke  of  the  various  Economies  or  Uispensa- 
titms  of  the  Eternal."  Ills  search  for  the  heart  of  Ueli;;ion 
ended  in  the  dreams  of  his  cjiildhood,  now  reali/ed  in 
these  Klder  Hrethreii  of  the  housthoid  of  (iod  wiiose  writ- 
ings exhibited  an  idciil  of  Christian  re^nancy  in  im- 
pressive contrast  with  the  fears  and  douhts  of  Oxford's 
churehmansliip.  In  them  was  found  the  antidote  to  the 
baneful  practice  of  resting  r»!i^'ion  on  aii.iiitellectualism  that 
was  everything  in  turn  and  notiiing  long,  for  the  supernatural 
order  had  re\ealed  itself  more  freely  and  coin  inciiigly  in 
them  than  in  their  derelict  successors.  He  was  enthralled  by 
such  saints  as  Irena'us  and  ('y])rian,  supremely  typical  of  the 
(Christianity  which  molded  society  and  sulxlued  the  hearts 
of  men,  and  to  their  guidance  he  unreservedly  submitted  his 
judgment.     Hereafter  precedent  and  tradition  tlictated  his 


ff 


i:: 


'I  ,i: 


p*     > 


il 


'ij 


480     TIIKKK    UKLICIors    LKADKUS   OK   OXKOUl) 

urKUinont^;    iiiid,  imliv  iiliiali/nl  tlioiiKli   lie  was,  the  iis«>  of 
iliilt'iH'iiilctK'f  liiMiMiic  a  tciiiptatinii  ti)  lit'  witllstixxl. 

'riii>  t'raniiu'iitar.\  >t()ry  of  liis  tiioiiiciitoiis  chaiinf  may  he 
n'Kanlfd  a^  an  illustration  of  the  >ayinj,'  that  tlicnio^t  siii^ju- 
lar  lapx's  arc  tliox'  of  ^fiftcil  men.  \\  itii  all  his  hrilliami'  ami 
insijiht,  Ni'winan  had  accoiniilislu'd  nothing'  more  than  tin- 
kiiidlinj:  of  liis  chiinhly  zt-al  to  its  utmost.  Thi'  real  hatth- 
was  not  yet  in  si^ht ;  many  im|MTff<tly  known  antapinism>, 
iiu'luilin^'  the  |)liilo>o|)hi('al  and  moral  conceptions  of  his  own 
day.  Iia<l  yet  to  l>e  faced,  nor  could  he  CMapc  the  ol)ligations 
arising;  out  of  tiiat  fact.  Kvery  system  or  creed,  liowevtT 
ancient  and  well  tried,  must  l)e  jirepared  to  rtckon  with  new 
condition-,  of  constantly  evolving;  life.  Meanwhile,  despite 
heresy,  lukcwarnuicss,  and  failure,  the  (  h'lrch  of  his  l)a|)tism 
was  still  for  him  tlie  li\  inj;  representative  4>f  the  Apostles; 
she  had  not  lost  for  a  moment  her  vital  nexu>;  she  was  still 
capahle  of  recovery,  restitution,  a.id  com|)liance  with  the 
ilivine  commandment.  Her  spirit  fret-d,  her  confidence  n-- 
piiried,  the  future  opened  l)efore  her  with  an  illimitahle 
prospect. 

Thus  helievin^',  he  puslied  the  issue  to  its  limits,  adding;  to 
his  conceptions  of  clerical  sanctity  and  prero^jative,  and 
defendinj;  them  against  the  learned  who  derided  him.  l)is- 
eerninj^  the  i)erils  that  menaced  faith,  he  (oiitended  that 
.scholarly  loteries  with  .strong;  inclinations  toward  the  rejec- 
tion of  pious  heritages  were  no  schools  for  saints.  Their 
detrimental  measures  must  he  overthrown  i)y  the  doctrines 
of  past  aires,  providentially  preserved,  and  communicated 
throuj;h  chosen  men,  who,  while  not  acceptal)Ie  to  profane 
wisdom,  had  faithfully  j;uarded  the  deposit  committed  to 
them.  In  a  letter  to  his  mother,  under  date  of  March  !.'{, 
lM'!t,  he  set  forth  the  situation  as  it  ."'i)ealed  to  him. 
"\Ne  live  in  a  no\el  era  — one  in  which  tin  ic  is  an  advance 
towards  universal  ediicatitm.  .Men  have  hitherto  depended 
especially  on  the  clerjiy  for  reli<,'ious  truth  ;  now  each  man 
attempts  tu  judge  for  himself.     Xow,  without  meaning:  of 


1  ■  i 


1   f!     ;f 


i  •    ' 
t 


JOHN    IIK\UV    NKW.MAN 


4SI 


cniirsr  tliat  ('liristiiiiiity  is  in  its«lf  (i|)|»(im(I  tn  free  iiu|iiir\ 
still  I  think  it  is  in  fa<t  at  tin-  pn-cnt  tiinr  <>|)|Misri|  to 
tlif  particniar  fnnn  wliiili  that  lilicrty  of  tlii>ii^;lit  has  now 
assiiincil.  ("hristianitv  is  of  faitli,  ino(|(-t,\,  lowliness,  >nli- 
nrtiiiiation  ;  hut  the  spirit  at  work  airaiiot  it  i-'  one  of  latitn- 
(linarianistn.  iniiitftTciitisni,  and  srhi^in.  a  -jiirit  whicii  t*-n<ls 
to  overthrow  doctrine,  as  if  the  fruit  of  l)i;;otry  ami  discipline 
—  as  if  tlie  in>trun\ent  of  |>r-v>ttTaft.  All  jiartics  >ceni  to 
Hcknow led>;e  that   the  stn-aui  of  opinion  i^  ^ettin;;  a;;ain»t 

the  Church \nd  now  I  come  to  another  plienonienon  : 

the  talent  of  the  day  is  against  tla-  (jnircli.  The  Cinircli 
party  (\isil>ly  at  least  ...  )  i>  jtoor  in  mental  endowments. 
It  has  not  aitixity,  shrewdness,  dexterity,  ehxpience,  practi- 
cal power."  ' 

From  the  I'athers.  .Ni'Winan  also  derixcd  a  speculativt- 
annelolo;,'y  which  descrihed  the  unseen  imiserse  as  in- 
habited 1).\  hosts  of  intermediate  hciiij;^  who  were  spiritual 
a^jents  hetween  (iod  and  creation,  and  ileteriniiu'd  to  some 
extent  the  charactiT  of  various  people^.  Of  tlicsc  inter- 
mediaries some  wtTc  j;oo<l,  diri'ctc<l  hy  a  superior  wisdom, 
and  content  to  serve  the  Supreme  Will  in  the  ecoiiom.v  of 
material  wdrlds;  others  were  neither  angelic  nor  rei)rol(ate, 
partiall,v  fallen,  ca|)riciou>,  wa.vwani;  nohle  or  craft,v, 
henevdlent  or  malicious,  as  their  (pialities  were  evoked  l>,\' 
diiVerinj;  environments;  the  remainder,  heini;  farthest 
reinoveil  from  divine  contact,  were  lowest  in  the  scale;  in 
essence  <'v  il,  j'ud  an  active  hindrance  to  thi'  hi','her  pro;^ress 
of  mankind.  The  .\nf;els  proper  were  the  real  causes  of 
motion,  li;;ht,  and  life  and  of  what  arc  <iilleil  the  laws  of 
nature.  Those  who  were  neither  hamied  nor  hlcsscd  pivc 
a  sort  of  intellij;eiicc  to  nations  and  cla-^es  of  men.  'I'he 
ease  of  lMi;;land  was  cited  as  an  example  of  their  oi)cration.s. 
"  It  seems  to  me."  he  (  ommentcd,  "  that  lohn  Mull  i^  a  spirit 
neither  of  heaven  nor  hell."  'i'iie  third  order  represented  the 
l)rineiple  of  cv  il ;  and  it  was  of  infinite  moment  to  man  that 

'  "  I,ciicr~  :incl  ( 'urirsiiiiiiilciici."  :    Vol.  I.  I'll.  17s    Isii. 


1 


V'! 


482     TllltKK    UhlLUiHUS    LKAOKKs   OF   OXFOUD 


W'l 


1/ 


jj 

ii 


il 
1 


lie  >li(itil«l  know  liow  to  avoiil  tln'ir  snliutivc  overtures 
iiiiil  thus  kc<-|i  his  nhKion^  niitiirc  iiiicln^'^'nl  iiml  iiiisiillif<l.' 
It  is  oltvioiis  thiif  thi-  iiltiiniatnl  hy|Mitht'>i^  hml  ■,■  >  mccs- 
sary  ctMiiirctiiin  with  the  f;iith;  it  \sa>  thrn^Mphical  rather 
than  Christian  in  it-.  ih'Mliipiricrit.  ami  rciHWiil  ^nmc  ffatiirc-t 
of  tin-  \urv-\  whidi  >t.  I'aiil  riliiik<<l  and  lorrtctctl  in  his 
("oiossian  I\pi--tlt'.  Imlcnl,  NCuniair^  <o^nlo^on\  wasfsx-n- 
tially  Ciio-tic,  ami  ((liocil  tlir  ttachint'  of  ('trinthiis.  who 
is  lifst  entitled  to  he  con-idered  a-  the  link  hetween  tin- 
•liidaizin^  and  (Ino^tic  M'ltv.' 

His  earlier  intention  to  linorne  a  rni»ionary  had  now- 
vanished;  he  fell  that  hi-  vocation  was  at  Oriel,  and  this 
seemed  lik«|\  enon;.'li  initil  I  )r.  Ijiward  lla\\kin>  was  eleeted 
l'ro\d>t  of  tlieeollep-.  I  law  kin-,  who  nnited  a  limited  |)o\.er 
'>f  deei>i\f  tliinkini;  with  ^Teat  talent  for  action,  held  the 
provo>t>lii|»  within  fonr  \ears  of  half  a  eentnry,  from  j.sjs 
to  I,s74.  He  maj;nilied  hi>  ollice  and  introdueed  many  re- 
fonns,  nsnally  op|>osiii;;,  however,  -neh  ,i>  did  not  originate 
with  hiniMlf.  A  man  of  practical  intelh^'enee,  he  >liowed  his 
discrimii.atioM  in  the  oft-cpioted  prediction  that  if  Thomas 
Arnold  wire  elected  tohe  Ma-terof  l{u<,'l»y  he  Would  change  the 
face  of  education  all  throuirh  the  pMl>lic  schools  of  Kn>;land.' 
But  the  Tniver-ity  in  which  the  ili>tin^niished  I'rovost  ad- 
ministered was  Norcly  \c\cd  ahont  many  thin;;s,  and  its 
turmoil-  helped  to  turn  hi-  activity  into  "a  channel  oi'  oh-ti- 
iiateand  prolon;;ed  rc-i-tan(r  and  prote-t,  tno-t  consci('ntioii> 
lint  mo-t  nncompromi-ini:,  ayain-t  two  ;;reat  successive 
movement-,  lioth  of  w  hich  he  condemned  and  recoiled  from  as 
revolutionary  the  Tractarian  fir>t  and  the  I.iheral  Move- 
ment in  Oxford."  '  The  la-t  trace  of  Newman's  connection 
with  the  Xoctics  was  -cin  in  hi-  -up|)ort  of  Hawkins  for 
Provost,  whom  they  had  adopted  ;is  their  camlidate  in  pref- 


-t.  I':ml\  i;|pi-ii|..v  I..  i||i>  Colossians  ami 


'  "Apo|iiL'i:i "  :    pp.  Js  J(l. 
^  Liirhtfriot       "( 'i(riirnrnt;ii*\ 
I'hil.-TrM.ij"  :    pp.  71    III. 

>!)>■:(»  Slaiili'V  :    "  I.ili'  of  ■rii..tiia.s  .\riinM  "  :     Vol.   I.p.  .jl. 
*  Dean  ( 'hur.h  :    '  •  •,-i:i.-i(itial  l'apcr>  "      \'.il.  1 1,  pp.  :i  1 1   :il7. 


i 


Jl        . 


*  0\ 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKVVM.W 


4S3 


i!  I 


•Tcin't'  t(»  K(l)lt  with  I'niiidi-  «riti(i/ri|  tlic  choice, 
Ni'uinaii  ri'pliril  tluit  liiiil  tlicv  Ihimi  t'lt'clin;;  aii  i\uni'\ 
III'  wiiuM  liii\r  Mitnl  fur  Kt  lilf ,  liiii  it  wji'  tiiil.s  a  IVih 
\<i->t.  lit'  <liil  lli>t  l)i'lir\t'  that  Ki'lili'  riiiilil  liialltl^'r  lllcli, 
wlicn-a^,  alioiit  ilawkiii-^  lir  liaij  no  ilniilit,  ami  tlit'  iiittn-sts 
of  Oriel  ilt-iiiaiiil('il  a  -^troti^'  ..ml  capalili-  luail.  A  little 
later  lie  would  |irol>al>ly  lia\e  re\er^e(|  hi^  jmlnKieiit  ami 
selected  a  eaiididate  of  llij;li  ('liiircit  |)riii('i|il('^.  A>  it  wa-', 
Kelile  retired  to  IIiirNJev ,  .imi  lla\<  'viii>  |iro\(d  to  lie  far  more 
ai;Kre-.-<i\e  tliaii  ^oine  de^in  d.  The  |iiil|iit  of  St.  Mary's, 
n'mlered  saeant  1>,\  llaukiii-'  traiifer  toOriil,  now  fell  to 
Newiiian,  wiio  made  it  lii>  llirone  of  p  i,\ir  for  -^ume  years 
|)rior  to  the  "Traet-,  fur  tlie  'I'iiiir^."  A  lun^i.leralile  amount 
of  iiip'miity  lia>  Iteeii  expended  nil  \\  hat  mi;:lit  lia\e  Keen  had 
event>  >lia|K-d  tliein^el\e>  dill'erenliv  .  K'eKle  ii-,  I'ro\o>t 
iiUKlit  have  n'lnained  iiiiniarried.  and  woiihl  eertainiv  have 
heeii  in  <|o-^er  contact  with  Newiiian,  in  which  ca>e  I  )r.  V,.  A. 
Aliiiott  >uriiii^c^  that  their  joint  composition  of  the  "Apolo- 
iiui"  was  witliin  the  !iound>  of  po^-ihihty.  A^  a  matter  of 
fact,  Kelih'  ne\er  dreamed  of  ^cekin;;  relief  in  the  Itoinan 
eommimioi.  and  Newinaii'>  secession  ;;rie\ed  him  hevdiid 
iiu-asure.  A;:ain.  il  Ilawkin>  had  -taxed  at  St.  Mary'>,  he 
would  lia\<'  depri\('d  Ncwinan  of  hi>  matchless  opportiiiiit.v 
to  set  forth,  a>  lie  alone  could,  the  \'ia  Media  >o  nol)l\'  cm- 
liodieil  1)_\  Kvliard  William  ("Ininli,  a-  a  dc-iraiile  compro- 
Tuise  hetwceii  the  I'apacx  and  I'liritani-m.  This  Newman 
did,  and  did  mar\elou>l\  well,  until  the  Aii;.'licaii  Churcli 
ceased  to  lie  any  Ionj;cr  tlic  prophcte-.-.  (>•'  (lod  for  him. 
However,  the>e  conjecture-^  iiiu-t  not  di\crt  ii-  from  wliat 
actually  hap|)cned.  .Ncwman'>  indiunatioii  \\a>  aroused 
In  the  want  of  sy-tcin,  wa>te  of  cll'ort,  and  i>aiicily  of  results 
in  the  respoiisihic  all'airs  of  the  rnivcr^itx.  Ahov  ^  a"  vUv, 
lie  objected  to  the  reliirioii-  formalism  and  la>>ituile  which 
left  tlu-  iiiiderirradiiates  o\-er-^hephcrded  yet  shepherdless. 
They  were  <  uinpcllcd  to  -ult-crilie  to  the  Thirty-nine  Articles 
us  a  i)reliminary  to  admission  to  the  I  ni\ersity,  and  to  attend 


»   . 

■  I   1 


;  I 


!  ; 


4S4      TIIUKK    miLKilOUS    LKADKKS   (»!•'    (iXl'Okl) 

till-  Holy  ('omiiHiiiioii,  w  liutfvcr  tlu-ir  stiitc  dI  lite  and  c't)ii- 
(lii!t.  After  tlicM'  rc(|iiir('iiifnts  had  Im-cii  olj^iTvi'd,  tlioy 
wiTc  frt'c  til  t'ollow  tlu'ir  own  iiicliiiatioiis,  witli  results  that 
ini;;ht  have  lu'eii  expected.  Dniiikeiiiiess  and  vice  were 
l)revaleiit  ;  idleness  and  (Ustasfe  for  scholarl"  :•  -  .'.*s  ended 
in  repeated  t'aihires  and  innniliati(>n>.  >  . man V  \i?vii\*^ 
aj;ainst  tiiese  aliases  enlist  a])pr(ival  now  rn,  i.y  uili  si  re 
his  feeling  that  tnturial  work  in  an  Oxford  II  .:i-  in^p'ieii  ar 
more  thai'  iis  leaders  were  willini;  to  a<hnit,  an<i  justii'cd  such 
aims  at  the  >;rowth  of  \irtr.ons  character  as  mi>;ht  fairl\ 
ocenpy  a  cleriryman.'  Accordini;l>'  he  snf;j;ested  that  the 
tutors  of  Oriel  should  divide  into  fjroui)s  the  men  imder  their 
care,  each  tutor  heinj;  res[)onsilile  for  tlu-  religious  as  well  as 
the  educational  j;ui(lance  of  tho>e  intrusted  to  him.  In 
conjunction  with  I'Voude  and  Uohert  Isaac  Wilherforct',  he 
sout;ht  to  remodel  the  lectures,  introduce  new  textbooks,  anil 
revive  other  im|)ortant  academic  interests  which  were  sacri- 
ficed l>\  con>er\atism  and  nejilittence.  Hawkins  rejected 
these  proposals,  whereupon  th<'  three  tutors  tendered  their 
resif,'nations.  'rhi>  ultimatum  did  not  daunt  the  Provost, 
who  i)romptly  called  in  IIam|)deii  to  t;i\e  lectures,  and  though 
he  coidd  not  comi)el  the  tutors  to  relin(|uish  the  i)Upils  they 
had,  he  announceil  his  intetition  to  send  them  no  more. 
Out-;;cneraled  and  defeati'd,  .\ewinan  surrendered,  and 
Hawkins  douhtlcss  felt  relieved  that  he  was  rid  of  a  teacher 
who  attempted  to  act  on  hi  <  own  discretion,  and  whose 
(heolotrical  ojiinions  were  too  radical  for  the  welfare  of  the 
colle^'c.  Newman,  on  his  part,  declared  that  the  Oxford 
Movement  luver  would  have  hecn  had  he  not  Ix-eii  practically 
ili>missed  from  hi>  tutorship,  or  had  Kehle,  not  Hawkins,  !)een 
IVovost. 

More  than  half  of  ISliO  had  now  f;one,  a  year  of  trials  and 
trouhle^.  "  I  am  ile>ponilinf;,"  he  wrote  to  Kroude.  ".Ml 
my  |)lans  fail.     When  did  I  ever  succeed  in  any  exertion  for 

I  Iv  A.  AlildPtI  :    "Tlir  .\imliraii  ('.irccr  of  Canliii:!!  Xcwinan":    Vol.   I, 

p,   -Hip. 


»  ■     M 


i'  1 


I,    l:i 


.loU\    IIKNUV    NKVVMAN 


485 


1     ! 

•i    1 


otIuTsy  I  do  not  say  tliis  in  coniijliiiiit,  luit  rt'ally  (loiil)tinj; 
whctliiT  I  oilglit  to  meddle."  lie  steadied  liiiii.>elf  with  the 
reflection  tiiat  (li>a|)i)ointnient  and  self-denial  were  necessary 
for  the  re<-ei)tion  and  recention  of  spiritual  truth;  and,  re- 
leased from  liis  duties  at  Oriel,  awaited  other  ein])lo\iiient. 
Dr.  .h-nkyns  in\iti'd  him  to  participate  in  a  projected  Kcele- 
siasticai  History,  the  outcome  l)ein;;,  as  far  as  .Xcwnian  wa.> 
conceriH'd,  his  volume  on  the  .Vrians.  in  writiiif;  it  he  felt  an 
intense  intellectual  i)leasurc  he  had  not  previously  known. 
Yet  the  task  was  not  altoj;ether  conjrenial  for  so  \crsatile  and 
discursive  a  mind  as  his.  He  had  to  deal  with  such  un- 
fathoniahle  truths  as  the  Tri])le  Personality  and  the  l)i\ine 
liiity,  those  vast  and  remote  ideas  in  the  revelation  and 
l)hil(»oi)hy  of  relijiioii  whi<h  have  taxed  even  j;reater  spirits. 
Nor  did  he  enjoy  tha.  thorough  ac<|uaintance  with  |)atristi(; 
literature  at  which  his  >ister.leinima  hinted  when  she  reminded 
him  that  Archl>isho|)  I  slier  had  spent  eighteen  \('ars  in  read- 
ing'the  Fathers.  In  the  I  »cceml)er  of  ISol  he  wrote,  "I  was 
working;  too  hard  at  the  'Arians.'  It  was  due  next  >umnier, 
and  I  had  onl\'  l)e<;un  to  read  for  it,  or  scarcely  -o,  the  sum- 
mer past."  I*"r(»ude  ^^rcw  im])atient  with  his  "dallying'," 
declared  apiinst  his  "fiddliuf;"  any  lonjier  with  the  introduc- 
tion to  the  work,  and  predicted  his  enilin^'  in  ";i  scrape." 
Newman  was  resoKfd,  how<'\er,  to  muster  all  the  learnin;; 
within  his  rea(  ii :  he  toiled  with  a  \'eni;eance,  and  where  his 
learning  was  at  fault,  his  rhetorical  ^nfts  admirahly  ser\ed 
his  immediati'  purposes.  \{\  two  defects  could  scarcely  he 
concealed  :  his  nej;lcct  of  scientific  research,  ami  the  irrele- 
vancy of  some  of  his  dissertations.  Hcsirous  always  of  lean- 
ing on  authority  in  reli^'iou-  matters,  he  forj^ot  that  history 
has  no  i)rejudiccs  in  hchalf  "(  ecclcsia>ticism,  and  he  intr 
dueed  a  sort  of  ri'asonin},',  l>e-~t  descril)c(l  as  heart-foam,  to 
supply  the  la<'k  (if  that  strict  historical  accuracy  which  <-hecks 
undue  siicculation  an<!  is  content  to  set  down  the  tiling  that 
actually  occurred. 

His  jreneral  treatment  of  the  .\rian  period  was  Itased  on  St. 


V 


if 


'il 


■  I 

■  i.. 
I  i  .ii 


Ml 


I-; 


:,      1 


V,  '      I 


i     ,  ■ 

I- J 'I 

;f  ;  I'  :' 


486      TIIi{KK    UKLKJIOUS   LKADKHS   OK   OXFORD 

C'UiiuMit's  tlu'ory  that  all  religion  was  from  (lod,  and  that 
Christianity  diil  not  sniuTscdc  so  nucli  as  it  corrected  and 
sanctified  otiier  t'omis  of  ix'iief.  While  di\ine  in  its  ori<;in, 
it  di'pended  on  hnnian  aj;cnts  for  its  tra!isinission,  and  con- 
sequently sntl'ered  some  diniiniition  of  content  and  quality. 
The  te..chings  of  the  New  Te>tament  were  limited  by  the 
intellectual  |irocesses  that  conveyed  them,  since  these  were 
necessarily  une(|ual  to  their  full  coini»rehension.  The  CTeeds 
likewise  were  in  spirit  and  essence  far  l)elow  the  level  of  the 
august  propo>itions  they  attempted  to  emhody,  hence  the  in- 
troduction from  time  to  time  of  orthodoxy's  nuiltiplyiiig  and 
minute  articles  as  a  protection  against  specific  errors  and 
heresies.  With  their  growth  Christian  societies  naturally 
became  more  complex,  and  retpiircd  additional  explanation 
and  defense.  Kxactitude  of  cn-dal  expression  was  »'levated 
to  a  theological  virtue,  re(|ui..ite  for  the  permanence  of 
primitive  Chri>tianit,.  and  hut  for  that  exactitude  the  char- 
acter and  meaning  of  the  .\i)ostolic  age  would  have  been 
lost  to  mankind.  I'pon  these  grounds  .Newman  |)lea(kfl  for 
a  rigid  <'nforcement  of  fornuihe.  "If  the  Church,"  he 
averred,  "would  be  vigorous  and  influential,  it  nuist  l)e 
decided  and  |)lain  ^jiokeii."  The  corrosive  effects  of  liber- 
alism, so  energetic  in  .\rian  days,  were  still  in  evidence,  still 
demanding  precedence  and  sanction.  Left  unchecked, 
they  would  di'strox-  not  only  the  basis  of  revealed  religion, 
but  ultimately  everything  that  (ould  be  called  religion  at  all. 
His  tndy  of  the  .\rian  controversy  strengthened  his  convic- 
tion that  .\i)ostolic  i)recept  and  i)ractice  were  in  comi)lete  ac- 
cord with  the  characteristic  conceptions  of  .\nglo-Catliolicisin. 
He  saw,  or  thought  he  saw,  instructive  parallels  between  the 
stes  o(cu|)ied  in  the  fourth  century  by  .Vrian  bishops  and 
those  of  his  own  conununion.  In  both  insiances  the  purity 
of  faith  was  ])reserved  by  a  few  valiant  reformers,  who  had 
confidence  in  a  divine  intervention  for  their  cause.  .Vtha- 
nasius  had  arisen  in  solitary  grandeur  against  the  defilers  of 
(Jod's    heritage;     similarly   some    holy    warrior    would    be 


JOHN    HENRY    NEWMAN 


487 


found,  equipped,  and  sent  forth,  to  deliver  the  distressed 
AngHeanism  of  tlie  earlier  nineteentii  eeiituiy. 

The  volume,  which  was  the  result  of  a  little  over  six 
months'  strenuous  effort,  niinht  well  have  tak(  n  him  more 
than  as  many  years.  "Tired  wond'-rfully,"  he  says  of 
himself,  "eontinually  on  the  i)oint  of  faiiitinf;,  (juite  worn 
out."  He  hatl  heen  relieved  of  a  erushiuj:  burden  none  too 
soon,  and  at  the  sann-  time  he  was  also  ^iviuK  uj)  the  last  of 
his  i)>ii)ils  at  Oriel.  The  cessation  left  him  free  to  brood  in 
theolo},'ieal  gloom  over  the  forbidding  prosi)ects  of  the  faith, 
the  result,  as  he  supposed,  of  the  ever  widening  opposition 
between  the  Church  and  the  world. 

IV 

His  ptMit-up  feelings  found  their  outlet  in  the  incomparable 
parochial  serine. ns  which  he  i'cgan  to  deliver  at  St.  Mary's 
in  1.S2S.  They  enforced  iiis  contention  that  things  could 
not  stand  as  they  were,  that  Christ's  Church  was  indestructi- 
ble, that  she  nuist  rise  again  and  flourish,  wlien  the  poor 
ereaf  -  's  of  a  day  who  oppo>ed  her  had  crumbled  into  dust. 
As  a  1  '  icher  he  was  i)rof'oundly  conscious  of  the  sacredness 
of  his  vocation,  and  in  it>  fulfillment  was  superior  to  any  other 
divine  of  his  day.  Oxford':,  fon'must  pulpit  had  several 
fam- -IS  occupants  during  the  nineteenth  century:  amtmg 
ti-'in,  Tusey,  saint  and  scliolar,  whose  personality  for  a 
time  oversha<li>wed  .Xnglicanism ;  Mt)/ley,  the  deeiH-st 
yet  clearest  thinker  of  the  group;  Manning,  self-conscious, 
"politic,  and  facile  of  speech:  laddon,  "with  the  Italianate 
profile,  orator  and  ascetic  "  Hut  none  approached  Newman 
in  his  analysis  of  the  human  heart,  his  ewiuisite  rhetoric,  his 
tender  or  indignant  fervor.  He  united  >imi)le  earnestness 
and  refinement  with  a  >en>e  of  reserved  power  on  the  verge 
of  being  released.  Altho\igh  his  audiences  were  often  small, 
they  were  inflviential,  and  eventually  h"  brought  Oxford  to 
his' feet.     "His  hearers   felt,"   said    I'rincipai   Shairp,   "as 


1      i 

!  ], 

1 1 

1      ri  ■ 

1  ;    ■* 

i^    \' 

J   1  : 

'  1  i'  ■; 
f : 

'  ■  :  - 

';.; 

* 


«ll 


4SS      TIIIiKK    KKLK  -OLS    LKADKUS   OF   OXFORD 

(lioiiKli  <.iic  of  till-  ii.rly   I'atlnTs  Ii;,,!  rctnnuHl  to  earth." 
IFc  i.piKakHl  to  tlu'iii   Nvitli  ii  (lin'cti.ess  and  force,  and  a 
p;L-,sionatc  and    sustained    earnestness   for  a   IiIkIi    spiritual 
standard,  to  he  seriously  realized  in  eonduet,  the  more  im- 
perative heeause  the  nation  had  come  to  the  verj^e  of  religious 
dissolution,  atid  was  resting  eoiuplaeently  in  its  own  pride 
and  nught,  while  divine  judgment  threatened  its  reereanev. 
Mr.  (JIadstone  said  of  him  :    "Dr.  Newman's  manner  ui  the 
pulpit  was  (.ne  which,  if  you  considered  it  in  its  separate  parts, 
would  lead  you  to  arrive  at  very  imsatisfaetory  ^.nelusions.' 
There  was  not  very  much  eh.wige  in  the  infleetion  of  the 
voice  ;   action  there  was  none ;   his  sermons  were  read,  and  his 
«\ves  were  always  on  his  l,„„k ;   an.l  all  that,  you  will  sav,  is 
against  efficiency  in  preaching.     ^Vs  ;   hut  you  take  the  man 
as  a  whole,  and  there  was  a  stamp  and  a  seal  upon  him,  there 
was  a  solemn  nuisic  and  sweetness  in  his  tone,  there  was  a 
(■(jmpleteness  in  the  figure,  taken  together  with  the  tone  and 
with  the  manner,  which  m.ide  even  his  .leliver\-,  such  as  I 
have  <lescrihe(l  it,  and  though  exchisivelv  with  "written  ser- 
mons,  .singularly  attractive."  '     The  stamp  and  .seal  were, 
indeed,    manilestly    impressed    hy   nothing  less  than   conse- 
•  rated  g.'nius.      ni>  two  discourses  on  "  Holiness  Xecessarv 
tor  Future  Hlesse.iiu-ss,"  and  "The  Wntures  <.f  Faith,"  are 
worthy  exampk>s  of  a  new  type  of  prophetical  speech,  heard 
with  strained  attention,  an.l  long  reinemhered  and  repeated. 
Holiness  he  defined  as  an  inward  separation  from  the  world 
and  in  answer  to  the  cincstion,  "Why  salvation  is  im|)ossihle 
without  this  frame  an<l  temper  of  mind  'f "  lie  replied  :    "  Even 
supposing  a  man  of  unholy  life  were  suffered  to  enter  heaven, 
he  would  not  he  happy  there,  so  that  it  woukl  he  no  mercv  to 
permit  him  to  enter.  ...     H.^  would  sustain  a  great  dis- 
ai)pointinent,  he  would  find  no  discourse  hut  that  which  he 
shunned  on  earth  ;    no  jMirsuits  hut  tiiose  which  he  lia.l  dis- 
hk.'d  or  despised  ;    nothing  which  hound  him  to  ought  else  in 
the  universe  an.l  ma.l.>  him  feci  at  home,  nothing  which  he 

'Ju.ti.i  M.rarthy:    •llisloiy  „f  i  ii.r  .  >wu  Timos";    Vol.  I,  p.  UJ. 


JOHN    IIKNIIY    NKWMAN' 


4S<> 


could  enter  iiiti»  ami  rest   upon,     lie  would   perceive   liini- 
self  to  l)e  an  isolated  l)ein>;,  eut  away  by  Supreme  Tower  from 
those  ohjeets  wliieli  were  still  entwined  arounil  liis  licart."  ' 
Tlie  second  sermon,  "The  Ventures  of  laitli,"  is  a  search- 
inj;  and   inspiriiiK  ehaUenfie  to  all  who  would  direct  their 
heavenward  path  hy  that  hinh  and  uiiearthl\  .-^pirit  which  i> 
the  royal,  uninistakal)h'  sign  of  the  childrcii  of  the  Kini;ilom. 
The  text,  taken  from  the  reply  of  James  and  John  to  the 
words  of  Jesus,  "Are  ye  ehle  to  drink  of  the  cup  that  1  shall 
drink  of,  and  to  he  hapti/ed   with  the  haptiMii  that   I   am 
bapti/etl    with?"   was    used    to    emi)hasi/.e    the   wisdom    of 
endeavors  after  the  Christian  life  even  when  they  are  at- 
tended  hy   no  promise  of  ahM)lute  attaimnent.     "No  one 
amtdij?  us  knows  for  certain  that  he  himself  will  persevere 
unto  tlie  end  ;  yet  every  oneamonj;  us,  to  f^ive  himself  even  a 
chance  of  success  at  all,  must  make  a  venture."     Faith  is  the 
essence  of  a  Christian  life,  and  our  duty  lies  in  the  Ita/.ardous 
directions  where  faith  i>  demanded,  since  fear,  risk,  danjier, 
anxiety,   require   its  presence  and   attest    its   noi)ility   and 
excellenee.'- 

"  No  t>ne,"  eonunents  Dr.  Alexander  \Vhyt<-,  in  speakinj;  of 
other  discourses  in  this  series,  "can  feel  the  full  force  of  New- 
man's jjreat  sermons  on  'The  Incarnation'  and  on  'The 
Atoniu}?  Death  of  Crod  the  Son'  who  has  not  f,'one  with.  New- 
man to  the  sources  of  tlie  sermons  in  .Vthanasius,  and  in  Basil, 
and  in  Cyril."  ''  Nothiuj^  in  his  homilies  showed  any  sij;n  of 
the  youth  and  comparative  inexi)erience  of  the  preacher,  or 
was  immature  and  technical  in  treatment.  The  creeds, 
confessions,  and  cati'chisms  wcri'  vitalized  ;  redothed  with 
the  beauty  and  the  majesty  of  j;cnuine  sacred  oratory.  They 
were  poems,  and  better  still,  transcrii)ts  from  the  most  in- 
spired souls,  as  well  as  from  the  souls  to  whicii  they  min- 
istered ;  reasoninjis  in  a  lofty  dialectic  ;  views  of  life  and 
of  gocxlness,  of  shi  and    its  malefic  conM'ipiences,  which,  in 

'  "Paroiliial  ami  I'lain  .•ScniKiii-"  :    \''il.  1.  Scniinn  I. 

'  Ikid..  Vol.  1,  .^iTiiioii  X.\.      '     Ni'wmaii.  Aii  Aiipr.M  i:Hi.)ii"  :    p.  1J.">. 


I      1^ 

i  .      -^ 

,1 

■  ( 

I 


■  u| 


rti 


I 


I 


i!'i: 


^1  !i 

!:i,„ 


n; 
.  1', 


490 


TUKKK    UK!.l(5|()i;s    I.KADKUS   OK   oXFoiU) 


muiKTous  iiistiiiKvs,  iiiiirkc<l  the  l)r>,'irmiiij,'  of  ii  m-w  life  in 
thosf  \yli()  Iiciinl  tlu-m.  Their  cliasU-  yet  ^'lowiiij;  diction 
uikI  spiritual  jx-rcfption  \vm'  ciiijjloycd  to  siicli  i-tlVct  tiiat 
Xowinan's  followers  crowdi-d  St.  Mary's  as  tlio  i'iajtiioni  did 
Sail  Marco  at  Fiorcnct-  to  listen  to  Savonarola,  and  cxliihited 
an  equal  enthusiasm,  if  not  extravaj;ancc. 

On  Deceinhcr  2,  \S:V2.  when  prcaciiinK  hcforc  the  I'liivcr- 
sity,  on  ••  Wilfulness,  the  Sin  of  Saul  "  he  ent.Tcd   upon  a 
sweei)ni)r  condemnation  of  KiiKlish  society  and  a  <lcfense  of 
rclij;ious  partisanship:     "The   jjreseni   oj)en    resistance  to 
constituted  iM>wer,  and  (what  is  more  to  the  purpose)  the 
indulgent  toleration  of  it,  the  irreverence  towards  Antiquity, 
the  unscrupulous  and  wantim  violation  of  the  (onnnands  and* 
usages  .)f  our  forefathers,  the  imdoiuK  '>f  their  henefactions, 
the  profanation  of  the  Church,  the  hold  trans;;rcssion  of  the 
duty  of  Ecclesiastical  I'nity,  the  avowed  disdain  of  what  is 
railed    party    religion    (though   Christ    undeniably    made   a 
party  the  vehicle  of  His  doctrine,  and  did  not  cast  it  at  random 
on  the  world,  as  men  would  now  have  it),  the  growing  indif- 
ference to  the  (\itliolic  Oecd,  the  skeptical  objections  to 
portions  of  its  doctrine,  the  arguings  and  <liscussings  and 
eomparings  and  cornctings  and  rejectings,  and  all  the  train 
of  presumi)tuous  exercises,  to  which  its  sacred  articles  are 
subjected,    the    numberless    discordant    criticisms    on    the 
Liturgy,  which  have  shot  u[)  on  all  sides  of  us;   the  general 
irritable  state  of  mind,  which  is  everywhere  to  be  witnesse.l, 
an.l   craving  for  change  in  all  things;    what  do  all  thest' 
symptoms  show,  but  that  the  spirit  of  Saul  still  lives  /    -  that 
wilfulness,  which  is  the  antagonist  principle  to  the  zeal  of 
David,— the  principle  of  cleaving  and  breaking  down  all 
divine   ordinances,    instea.l    of   buil.ling   up."  '     It   will    be 
remembered  that  one  of  the  sins  of  .Saul  was  his  refusal  to 
IH'rpetrate  a  wholesale  massacre  on  the  Amalckites,  an  act 
which  compared  very  favorably  with  Sanniers  deman<l  that 
the  unfortunate  captives  should  be  ruthlessly  exterminated, 

'  ■■  L'uivcrsity  .Scriiioua"  ;   SortTion  IX. 


•til  r  -i 

■I.     '    ki 


I  n 


i.: 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKW.MAN' 


491 


IT  witli  David's  lu'triival  nf  tin-  iiii.->us|H(tiiif;  I'riah.  Tlu- 
misuse  i)f  the  word  party  sii^i^cstt-il  that  our  Lord  Iliiii- 
si'lf  orij^iiiati'd  rcli>;i(>iis  f;ictinn-  liccaiisr  He  cini'loyfd  a  small 
group  of  His  comitrviMfU  a>  the  iuinuiliiitt'  ciuissarics  of  His 
(losptl.  Tlif  i)rfa(licr's  rxa^igcnitrd  rctVrcMccs  to  tlic  crav- 
iug  for  cliangf  iu  ail  tluuj;s  wrrc  (•liaract(Ti>tic  of  tlic  I'uivcr- 
sity  (Ion  wlio  is  ])rov»Ti)iaily  l)iiu(l  to  widoprcad  iutcrosts 
licyoud  his  uarrow  domaius,  aud  on  tlic  othiT  haud,  so  alert 
to  \vhate\er  occurs  within  their  lioundarics,  as  to  overrate  its 
actuid  importance.  Kveii  as  a  i)reachcr  Newman  harhored 
these  incapacitating  sentiments,  refu>inj;  to  view  from  any 
other  standpoint  than  ids  own  the  measures  he  deiiounci'd 
in  adroit  periphrasis. 

Three  day>  after  this  deliverance  he  was  at  Falmouth 
awaiting  Ilurrell  Fronde  and  his  father,  and  hourly 
expecting  the  ves.sel  which  was  to  take  them  and  him  to 
the  Miditerriinean.  He  found  it  hani  to  leave  Oxford; 
a  brief  visit  to  Camhridge  had  only  intensilied  his  longing 
for  the  former  jdace,  hut  rest  aud  recreation  were  im- 
|)eriitive  hoth  for  him  and  for  Hurrell  I'roude,  who  had 
been  out  of  health  for  some  months.  They  set  sail  at  a 
moment  when  tlu'  Anglican  Church,  iu  Mozley's  phrase,  was 
folding  her  robes  about  her  to  die  in  what  dignity  she  could. 
The  bill  for  the  suppression  of  the  Irish  sees  was  in  ])rogress, 
and  the  Knglish  bishops  were  warned  by  Lord  (Irey  that  they 
too  nuist  set  their  lio\isc  in  order.  "  I  had  fierce  thoughts 
against  the  Liberals,"  confessed  Newman,  aud  again,  "We 
have  just  heard  of  the  Iri>h  Chunh  Reform  IJill.  Well 
done;  my  blind  premier,  contiscate  anrl  roi),  till,  like  Samson, 
you  pull  down  the  I'olitical  structurt-  on  your  own  head."  ' 
For  the  moment  his  attention  was  turned  to  less  troubled 
prospects,  yet  go  where  he  would,  he  could  not  esca])e  him- 
self. The  subjective  world  iu  which  he  dwelt,  into  which  he 
fully  admitted  none  a  world  (jnick  and  intense  beyond  the 
t)rdiiuiry  -    created   it>  own  ])ain,  wdconu'd  its  own  infre- 

'  ■■Li'ltcr.'*  .-iMil  (  (iiii'^i.niiiliM]!  !■"  :    \ul.  I.  |j.  :ini. 


M 

I-  a 


4n2      TIIKKK    UKMiilOlS    LKADKUS   OF   OXFORD 

qmiit  fiU-.uu-  nf  jny,  aii<i  iiHliil;;c«l  its  own  rt'vcrii-s.     "JIc 
i'!!:'ii);c(l  his  cliiiiiitc,  hut  m.t  lii.  iiiitid." 

Ills  IctttTs  iiriil  tin-  poems  lie  cumiMiM-d  while  joiinu'viiiK 
al.roii.l  ;;iv.  .1  v,i|!icieiit  iicceiMit  i.f  his  seiitiineiits  ami"  ex- 
l)erieiiees  i,  this  stiiKc.  1  )iiriri^:  th.'  vov  fip'  he  eiilar>,'e(l  in 
his  ((.rresjiotKleiKe  with  his  im.ther  iipon  the  pleasures  of 
external  thin>;>,  avowing'  that  he  hail  iie\  er  spent  happier  days 
than  those  he  dexriixd.  Nature's  ministries  had  evidently 
refn'shed  him,  and  lor  a  l.rief  space  his  interests  ceased  to 
he  j)urely  |)erM(nal.  Me  spoke  of  the  ocean's  entraiicinf:  as- 
pects and  varied  colors  ;  of  the  rich  indif;o  of  its  |)lacid  sur- 
face, (if  its  white-edj^ed  waves  rufllinj;  into  foam  und«T  a  stir 
of  wind,  and  a^ain,  curling;  into  flashiuf;,  momentary  rain- 
l«>ws.     The  sun  was  settin;;  in  a  car  of  ;rol(|  ;    the  horizon 

alutvechanp-d  from  i>ale-oranj;e  tints  to  a  gradually  heijrhten- 
ini:  dusky   red.     As   nijrht   closed    in   upon  these  ravishing 
scenes  the  .veninj;  star  appeared  hi^di  and  pure  in  the  deepen- 
ing Kloom.     The  i'ortui;uese  coast  slipi)e(l  past  like  a  veik>«i 
l)aKeant,  tantali/iiii;  in  its  dim  outline,  over  which  stoiwl  the 
sununits  of  Torres  \'c<lras,  where  Wellington  iiad  kept  at  hay 
the  valor  of  I'ranc...     At  the  foot  of  the  reddish  brown  cliffs 
the  hreakcrs  dashed  and  rebounded  in  crested  spume  which 
rose  like  N'enns  from  tlu"  sea  ;    "  I  never  saw  more  graceful 
form: , and  s(.  scdat.and  dcliberatein  theirrisin^' and  failing'."  ' 
^et  these  dclijrlits  c.uhl  not  louf;  detain  him  ;  the  mood  was 
transi.'nt ;   his  mind  soon  reverted  to  its  introspective  habit, 
an.l  he  bejian  to  f.'ar  the  dangers  concealed  beneath  sensuous 
r)crcej)tions.     IVnetratiuf;  but  a   little  w,       into  realitv  it- 
self,  these  mijjlit  easily  distract    him   from   the  more  prej;- 
nant  elements  of  bein^r.     The  principh-  of  dualism   had  so 
mfected   his  rcasoninj:s  that   where  ins|)ired  psalmists  and 
prophets  had  seen  in  Creation  the  wisdom  and  beneficence  of 
(Jod,  Newman  frc(|ucntly  discern.'d  "th.'  craft  and  subtletv 
of  the  T.'mpter  of  mankind."     II,-  touched  cm  natural  won- 
ders not  s,.  mucii  for  their  own  sake,  as  to  explain  the  motions 

'  ■■|.cit.T>  aiiii  Cnirfs,,,,,,,!,.,,.!'":    \-,,|.  1.  |,,  j.-,7. 


i: 


JOHN    IIKMtV    NKVVMAN 


493 


of  Ills  hrciist.  "  I  lia\c  ;;ii(mI  Ikum,"  In-  writes,  "  I  sliiill  not 
he  uiistttlfd  l)y  my  present  wamleriiiji^.  For  wliat  are  all 
these  strangle  sij;lits  lint  \aiiities,  atteiideil  to,  as  tliey  ever 
must  lie,  with  anxious  watelifiihiess  le^t  the  heart  he  eir- 
rupted  hy  them.  "  ' 

lie  was  still  on  the  verp-  of  tiie  thirties,  jiixl  had  only 
recently  uniiiTj;one  his  metamorphosis  into  tlie  extreme 
elerieal  form,  ^'et  one  mi},'ht  ima^'ine  tliat  tlie  e<'elesiastie 
had  been  organized  in  this  new  made  di\  iiie  hy  a  hereditary 
transmission  of  lon^'  descent.  lie  was  a  componnd  of  the 
ovannelicalism  of  iiis  youthful  iiome  and  the  sacerdotal- 
ism of  his  I'niversity  circle.  Mis  ne^rative  feeling'  of 
antagonism  to  the  sensiliie  world,  and  his  positive  feel- 
ing of  a  <li\inely  a|)i)ointed  mission  comhincd  to  sc|)arate 
him  from  tiie  most  charmin;;  surroundin>;s.  Hvcn  wlien  he  is 
on  the  tra<-k  of  I'lysses,  ^azinj;  on  Ithaca,  and  aware  tliat  at 
last  his  earliest  visions  were  made  actual  hcfore  his  eyes,  lie 
turned  hack  to  the  memories  of  hi>  father's  >;arden  at  I  lam  ; 
memories  so  faint,  so  shadowy,  that  they  evaded  his  pursuit ; 
memories  of  that  twilight  before  the  dawn  "when  one  seems 
almost  to  realize  the  remnants  of  a  prei-xistinj;  state."  - 
The  historic  landscapes  teeming  with  classic  reminiscences 
which  have  usually  fascinated  poets  and  scholars  could  not 
jjrovail  ajjainst  his  inwardness;  he  was  interesti'd  in  them, 
but  nothinj:  more,  anil  wouM  have  been  well  satisfied  to  find 
him.self  suddenly'  transported  to  his  rooms  at  Oriel.'  "I 
shrink  voluntarily  from  the  contact  of  the  world,  and,  whether 
or  not  natural  disposition  assists  this  feeling;,  and  a  ;  or- 
ception  almost  morbid  of  any  deficiencies  and  absurdities  — 
anyhow,  neither  the  kindest  attentions  nor  the  most  sublime 
sights  have  over  me  influence  enou^'h  to  draw  mc  out  of  the 
way,  and,  deliberately  as  1  have  set  out  about  my  present 
wanderinjjs,  yet  I  heartily  wish  they  were  over,  and  I  only 
endure  the  sights,  and  had  much  rather  hare  seen  than  see 


'  "Letters  mid  forrewpoiidetii'i 
'  Ibid.,  Vol.  I.  pp.  279  -'M). 


V..1.  I.  p.  ■->»■,(•,. 

»/'..■./..  Vul.  I.  pp.  :.'Sl-2h2. 


I        !« 


|M'! 


f 

'  1. 

,    ■ 

1 

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t 

J 

.  t 

\ 

W 

41>4       THI{KK    KKLKllors    I.KADKUS  OK  ().\KOK|) 


■Mi' 


it 


■  I, 


tliriM.  tli()ii>;li  the  \v  liilc  I  iim  .xtniii.h  aMmii^licI  ami  aliiu)st 
ciicliaiitnl  at  tluin."  ' 

'riii>  paradDxical  -.tatc  iiicrtaMil  lii^  <lt'lrrmiiiatit.ii  ti>  s<M-k 
afrt'Nli  thf  iHiictits  ..f  Mlf-McluMi.ii,  nn<l  lie  >.i/cil  tlir  occa- 
>i<Mi  t.)  writ.'  a  nili.>;iMic  M)iiiirt  oil  .Mflclii/nlfk,  tlu-  U'iivuil. 
arv  kiiij;  ami  priot,  of  wiioin  lif  >iii>;.s, 

"Tliriri-  hicst  iirc  tli.y,  win.  frcl  lli.ir  loiiilincss ; 
'I'll  ttliiiiti  iKir  \iii.c  iif  fiiciid  tii>r  |i|.ji>iiMt  -.(lie 
MriiiK'-i  tliiit  on  wliiili  tlii'  -inlil.ii'.l  |„iirt  r.iti  li-iin. 
Vi'ii.  till-  rich  viirili.  (.Mrl>M  in  her  diiinlii-t  ilrcs 
Of  li(.'lit  iin.l  ji.y,  iloth  liiit  thr  iimrc  <i|>|>rts-i, 
Cliiiininj;  rrs|K)M',i\c  sinjlrs  miil  riipturc  liicli, 
Till,  -ick  lit  liciirt.  Iif.vdiid  thr  viil  tiny  (ly, 
Strkiiin  Ili-i  IVi'-riic.-  Who  .ilonr  .iin  lili-s. 
Suih,  ill  >triiiiKc  dii.xs,  tlif  w.'iipoiw  of  llciivcirs  grare: 
Wlifii.  |ii[-siii^r  i,y  tilt'  liinli-l.orii  llclircw  lini", 
He  forni-i  the  vr-^ci  of  ||i^  \iisi  (Ich'^ii. 
KatluTlcss,  lioiiiclfss,  ri'ft  of  ii),'c  iiiiii  phicc, 
St'viTcil  from  ciirtli.  iind  cjirflc^-i  of  its  wreck, 
Uorn  through  ioiij;  woe  His  rare  Mehhizedek."  • 

Although  such  isolation  was  ( oiidiiciv,.  to  atrabilious  views 
and  an  opon  ri-hollion  against  the  coiivtiitioiialitirs,  ncvorthc- 
K'ss  it  was  iiieasurahly  justified.  For  Xewnian  was  at 
hottoiii  neither  a  eoniplacent  egoist  nor  an  anihitious  ecelesi- 
astie,  hi;t  an  earnest  servant  of  truth,  as  lie  understood  it. 
The  extent  of  his  inlluenee  has  lurii  varioiisK  estimated,  and 
his  career  has  given  rise  to  nunierous  and  contrary  inferences. 
^  et  it  would  he  a  desecration  to  make  capital  out  of  the  worst 
of  these,  nor  should  it  lie  forgotten  that  one  of  his  mo-t 
relentless  critics  has  testified  that  in  his  l^>n(luet  of  the  Trae- 
tarian  Movement  he  showed  few,  if  any,  symptoms  of  a  wish 
to  he  the  head  of  a  i)arty,  i)iit,  on  the  other  hand,  a  laudahle 
desire  to  do  anvthing  that  stemcd  likely  to  i)lease  dod.'^  For 
this  end  he  sacrifictHi  otherwix-  desiral)le  projects,  and  ex- 

'  "r-ctfcrv.  .iTid  r..mw,,on.leM(v":    V..I.  I,  p.  JsJ.       s //,/,/     V,.|    I    j,     >s-> 
Mvlvsii.    A.    Al.hott;     •Tl...    Ar,u'li,;in    Career    of     Canliiml    .Newumu". 
>ol.  1.  |,|,.  l',,0- Jj". 


if  I 


\l      '\ 


1 


.lOlIN    IIKNKV    \K\VMA\ 


4'.»r> 


poM-d  liitiiM'lt'  to  >i'ri()ii->  ini>iMiiliT>tiiiiiliii^^,  lioldiii^  lii^ 
iiitfjtrify  at  licii\y  cliarp'^  to  liiniMlf,  ami  lacing;  tli«'  i-.>tU' 
that  ill  dealing'  witli  iiiimtii  Mritic^  tlic  liiiiiian  iiiiml  is 
IkiiimiI  to  accept  truth-  IhvoikI  it-  power-  of  (hiiioiistru- 
tioii.  Like  tin-  iiii<roMopi-t  who  canfiillv  -cparato  the 
or^;aiii>in  lie  iii\e>ti;;att  >,  >liiit>  otl'  -iiperlhioiis  ii>;ht  ami 
a(ljii>t->  hi>  iiistruiiieiit  to  what  li^jlit  h<'  rccpiires,  Newiiiaii 
ecoiioinizeil  hy  coiisecratiiiK  iiiiayiiuitioii,  intellect,  iiieiiiory, 
and  utteraiie*'  to  tlio>e  traiiM<ii(leiicie-  which  were,  as  he 
l)elie\i'd,  jealous  of  any  diver-ion  from  theiii-el\c-. 

His  reflections  soon  turned  from  oli\iou-  hi-torical  asso- 
ciations to  others  of  Scriptural  or  Chiirchly  orijjin.  "What 
has  in-i)ired  me  .  .  .  the-*'  two  da.\  -  i-  the  tliouj;ht  that  I 
am  in  the  Mediterranean.  Con-ider  how  its  coa-ts  liuvo 
been  tlu'  scat  and  -cene  of  the  most  celelirated  empires 
and  event-  whicli  are  in  hi-tory.  'riiink  of  the  variety  of 
men,  famous  in  evi-ry  way,  who  have  had  to  do  with  it. 
Here  the  IJoinans  and  ('arthaniiiian-  foU);lit  ;  here  the 
I'luenicians  tra<led  ;  lure  Jonah  was  in  the  storm;  here  St. 
I'aiil  was  shipwrecked;  here  the  i,'reat  Athana-ius  v(>ya>;ed 
to  |{ome."  .\t  the  mention  of  .\tliana-iu-,  he  hroke  inti) 
somewhat  haltiiij;  verse,  and  patlieti<ally  asked, 

"When  sliiill  iMir  N'drtlicrii  (liiircli  lur  (liiiiiipiiiii  see, 
Uai-i'd  1)\-  I)i\iri('  dciri'c 
To  shii'lil  tin-  aiicit'iit  'IViitli  .it  lii>  nwii  hiirm'/"  ' 

The  ferment  in  that  "  Ndrtiicm  Church  "  from  which  he  was 
temi)orarily  absent  was  ever  present  in  his  mind.  In  his 
highest  flij;hts  of  vision  or  hi-  most  mournful  -olilotpiies  he 
interruj)ted  himself  to  llini;  an  admonitory  pari'iithcsis  at 
"  frowning  Ciihraltar,""  infidel  .\inmon,"and  "'  nij;;;iird  Tyre," 
alike  i)ressed  into  the  ser\  ice  of  the  "  IJride  of  Heaven,"  who 
was  exhorted  to  he  patient  and  to  hide  her  time.  The  one 
thinj;  now  needful  for  her,  as  for  him,  was  to  find  the  hasis 
of  .sufficient  Atilhiiritii  upon   which  to  rest  her  relif;ious  de- 

'  "Letters  anil  ('iirri'spDiiilciH'e"  ;    Veil.  I,  pp.  Jtiti  Jti". 


it 


•1 

i 


i»^V 


*i] 


I 


ll*l 


ill 


,      hi 


i  .1 


f|,! 


in' 


•I'.Mi      TIIIJKK    UKI.K.IM  s    |,i;vi»K|{s   (»|-    (I\H>I{|) 

\lln|illli  lit,  illiil  nil  lnM;;ri-  In  i|ri\ili  to  llllllt  lur  it  iiidcfi- 
llitf|\    lirvnli.l  till    Im.iIIhI-  (if  |M.,-il.i|it  \  ,  ..r  ;lttnn|(l  il|n;.'i(iillv 

tnioiiMnni  it  «ii|i  till'  iinl  ..I  l'nnif,.l„il,ii,„i,t'  llitlirrtn 
iu'  hill!  >;iiil  \in  liltlr  mImiiM  ,.ir  -iiii-.t.r  >ii|c  nf  tlir  (Imk 
I'r  Kiitniiii  ( 'liiinlii-.  Init  tin  ^p.  riin  |c>  lie  anil  IVmnlr 
«itiu»nl  ill  Si(i|\  ami  .\ii|.|f.  Iioth  iiicii  laiii('iiii-i|.  Kniiulc 
wmtr  lu  K.lilc;  '"riir  (  liiin  li  of  Knu'laiiil  lias  fallni  low. 
anil  will  |.riil)alil>  l.i  wc.rx-  l.r|..rr  it  i^  l.cttir:  Imt  lit  tlic 
\MiiK>  ilo  tluir  wi.r^t,  tlirv  laniiut  >iiik  ii-,  mi  ilnp  a>  tliiM- 
|)<ti|>lc  Iia\c  alliiuni  t  liiiii  ^il\ .  -  ti>  fall  w  liilr  ntaiiiiii^:  all 
tlif -.iiiXTfii  iaUdf  a  r.li>;ii.ii>  rnmitr\  "  Nfumaii  xiuiiclnl 
l'r«iiiil«-\  \ic\vs:  "'I'lir  ^lat.•  nf  th.-  ('Imn  li  i,  il.pli.ralilc. 
It  Mrm>  11-,  if  Sattiii  \\a>  li  t  mit  nf  |)ri>nii  ti>  raii;,'c  the  wliiiic 
i'iirtli  a^Miii.  .\>  far  a>  mir  littli-  (AiMTiniir  i,'nc>,  cmtv- 
tiiiii^'  >fi'iii>  til  rDiifiriii  til,'  nniiuii  nn  iv.il  aiiim  -  niirHl\r> 

nf   tile    ,iric>tl il,    while   nil    tlie   utliiT    liaihl    tin-   ('lilinll    i-, 

Mrippeil  nf  it>  teiiipnralitie-.  and  ndiieeil  tn  .li-tre->."  ' 

Home  \\a>  reaehe.l  at  la-l ,  the  eit  \  nf  .ii\  iiie  a[.n(al.\  pMS  ; 
too  ei  liii)le\,  iiialiifnM,  eniil.a(!i(  ti,r\  ,  liia^^Miliceiil ,  fnr  Ni  u- 
liiaiiV  liiiiler^taiiiiiii-  A.  he  walked  ilniii:  the  Apj.iaii  V  a\ 
over  the  i'niltilie  lilar>he,  ..  •[  Incked  Mp.  i  the  met  rn]>nlis 
of  Christianity,  a  iiiinL'Inl  tlimiiu  nf  hitter  thoiiirhtv  and 
sweet   I)e>it7,'ed    him  :    i       hesitated     whether    to    name    iier 

'  licill    of  till'  ui.lr  \Vi--t, 

'  ■    lii'iMDii-  iTmr-xdi .  " 

FIortitle>  ^lowe.  M  ii„  ^rl•r•l  jndmiieiit-tire-i  whi'h  would  end 
earth's  ^rrifewith  heaven  atidnjieii  the  eternal  w\:  K\  eiitii- 

idly  the  |)laee  nf ,  •  h  -tial  Tr.iditiniis  -  U'diied  lii>  (|iie>tinnin;r-. ; 
the  MiperMilin,:-  ut  hi-,  ntii  that  Kmne  w.is  the  "  Uea-t  " 
\\liieh  -tamp.  !  ,fs  im.ice  nn  niiinkind.  tli.-  "Cireat  Ilarlnt  " 
who  ■  iade  dr  ink  fh,  kin::-  nf  the  earth,  were  di>|ti'lled,  and 
111-  !)•  -an  to  re;rar,    her  ,i    \  icarioiKJy  hearini:,  in  her  corriip- 

,.,',•'"'"      ^        ■'''"'"  ''''"       ^-^"■^"    >':'<■■'•'■•■(    C"'U,Lll     \,.wiu:u. 

■      Ki-ln.ui-  \    .1     I.   |,    _■'«!. 

■    l..'»n-i -:,..,!(  ,,rri-i,.,i,.iii,r,    ■  ,    \    .1.  1.  „.  :jl.|,      «  ;/„J.,  \,,|.  1.  p.  ;ii:,. 


H  '1-^ 


'i    "l 


JOHN    IIIAIJN     NKUMW 


v.r, 


tion  illlil  ili-tn>-,   tllr   -ill-  of  llir   ulinli-  unrM.       Mr  WHitc  to 

I'Vt'diTii-     l!n;.'ir~.     \vl At     \i<     I'liillilr    ";i-    lli^    riilltiililllt , 

"Tin  re  i^  -mil  ;ill  iiir  nt'  ;,'rrMlht—  ;ili(l  rr|fii-c  r:i-.t  m  I'P  tlir 
whole,  iiihl.  iiiclc|Mriil(  lit  nl  v\liiit  niic  kn.pu.  I'ri'in  lii-iiirx, 
tlnTf  iirr  -in  li  tniii  -  i.t  |((im  -(.mux  ami  liiiiiiiliatinii.  -iillVr- 
iii^'.  |iiiiii-liiiu'iil ,  Mill  I  (liTMv  ,  1 1 1,1 1  I  MM  I  111  -  a  inivliiri  iif  t'ccliiit'^, 
|iartl.\  -111  li  a-  llin-r  w  iili  \i  liidi  mic  vmhiM  a|p|iri' hIi  a  curp-c, 
ami  |iartl\  llin-f  v^liiili  woiiiij  lir  «\i  itid  li\  tln'  -iulit  of  tlic 
>|)irit  wliiili  liail   lilt   it.      It   liriim-  tu  iii\    numl  .Irrriiiiati's 

WonU,    .    .    .    wilt  II    .li  Cll-alilll.    nr       -cillirl  IIIM-       till'     |irn|ilict, 

^[Miik-  a-  tin  -iiiiltni  111  (IimI.  ()\t'.inl,  nt  lair-r,  iiiii^t  ever 
lie  a  --a  I  nil  litv  tu  an  (  Ixnniaii.  ami  i-  to  inr.  It  wmilil  lir  :i 
-traiiirr  want  of  riirlii  [iriilr  to  tliiiiK  of  .li-|ii\alt>  to  it.  cvcii 
if  oiir  (TiTil  wtTf  iio|  imrcr  than  tlr  l!oi,iaii;  yet  tlif  liiu's 
of  \  ir;;il  kniilv  aiiil  allVi  t  ionalrl.\  dc-crilif  what  1  tVrl 
altoii!  ilii-  woiiilrrfiil  ( it\  "  '  lie  lii'.'mil  that  Kojirr--  woiilil 
npcii  to  hiii:-(lf  tln'  |ia--aui'  from  the  l',rlo;,'ii('>  t<>  wiiirh  he 
rcf'Trcii  ami  ilwtll  ii|ion  rai  li  word  ; 

"I  rliriM  '{11,1111  (Ik  iiiit   Itiini.'iiii.  Mrlllxn'.  |iiita\i, 

Stllltll-  I't'"-   liUli     llMllMf   -illlilrlli,"  I'Ic. 

Tilt'  (|iiotafioii  di-i  rilir-  the  rhaiiu'r  in  a  ni-tic  of  iKirthcni 
Italv  who  had  Ihcii  |)ft-miiiil  uoii  -  i  noii;.'li  to  iiiia;:iiu'  that 
Uoiiif  wa-  like  hi-  ow  II  iit\ ,  Inn  w  ho  -(p.  in  knew  that  >lu'  was 
to  the  laitt  r  a-  a  <  >  prc-^  trfc  to  a  lipaiiililc  l>ii-li.  'i'lic  coiii- 
pari>oii  i-  iiifoniiiii^  :  Ni'.Miiaii  mv  cr  ci'a-t'd  to  lo\  c  ( )\ford, 
hut  another  lo\  e  wa-  now  liei;iiiiiinu;  to  dixide  iii-  loyalty, 
it  wa-  not  the  Koine  of  tin  I'.ni perors,  nop  that  of  Mi<'iiel- 
an;;elo  ami  KalVaelle  ;  it  w  a-  t  he  I!  nine  of  the  .Xpo^tle^  and  the 
?dartyr-  that  iinpre--ed  hi-  |irepared  iiiiai;inatioii.  ami  iiiaiie 
a  liid  for  hi-  heart. 

Tile  ",\(to|oiria  '  omit-  -oine  iniiiortain  fact-  eonneeted 
with  thi^  \i-it,  aiiil,  althoiiu'li  it  -late-  that  Newman  aiul 
Fronde  tw  iic  waited  upon  1  )r  \\  i-emaii.  then  Hector  of  the 
Knjllish    (  ol|ei;e.    and    afterward-    famoii-    for    hi-    pastoral 

l.rOrr-     Hi  I   I  ■..ll,-|,.,lrlrli.,'     .     \  .  .1 .    1     i  ,| ,.   .  1 1  s     i  1 ','. 


i 


i:: 


i/  ^,ii 


4\)S      TIIKKK    UKLKilors    LHADKKS   OF   OXFORD 

letter  to  i;ii;;liiml  djitfd  "f  oiii  out  tin-  Klamiiiian  date,"  no 
liiiit  is  ;;i\t  II  of  the  nhjcct  or  tlif  result  of  their  iutervicws. 
From  l-Voude's  "  l{eiuain>."  Iiowever,  we  learu  that  thev 
soufilit  to  fisctrtiiiu  whetlicr  or  not  tlie  perversions  of  the 
trutli,  \vlii(  h  were  adapted  for  Home  hut  not  for  Enfrhuid, 
could  l)e  reirarded  as  non-essentials;  and  as  to  wliat  were  the 
fundamental  ditl'erences  hetween  Catliclicism  and  An{;Iicaii- 
ism,  and  wiiether  these  were  >o  <rreat  as  to  pre\ent  all  hope 
of  union.  They  diseoxered  to  tiieir  disinax  that  not  one  step 
could  he  grained  in  that  direction,  unless  their  Church 
"swallowed  the  Council  of  Trent  is  a  whole."  Froude 
franklv  i-xi)resseil  his  resentment  and  dis<;ust  in  the  eusuinj; 
note  : 

"We  made  our  approaches  to  the  >uhject  as  delicately  as 
we  could.  Our  first  notion  was  that  the  terms  of  conunun- 
ion  were  within  certain  limits  imder  the  control  of  the  I'ope, 
or  in  case  he  could  not  dispense  solely,  yet  at   any   rate   the 

acts  of  one  Council  nii^ht  he  rescinded  hy  ; ther;   indird, 

that  in  ( 'harles  the  First's  time  it  had  heeu  intended  to  negoti- 
ate a  recoticiliation  on  the  terms  on  which  thinjis  stood  hefore 
the  Council  of  Trent.  Mut  we  found  to  our  horror  that  the 
doctrine  of  the  infallihility  of  the  Church  niade  the  acts  of 
each  successive  Council  ohlij;at(.ry  for  ever,  that  what  had 
heen  once  decided  could  never  he  meddled  with  atrain  ;  ii, 
fact,  that  they  were  couunitteil  finally  and  irrevocahly,  . 
even  though  the  Church  of  Knj;land  should  aj;ain  i)ecome 
what  it  was  in  I,aud'>  time,  (.r  indtrd,  what  it  may  have  heen 
up  to  the  atrociou>  (  ouncil."  '  "  Uijiht  i)ride"  in  Oxford  and 
the  F>tahli>iunent  of  which  it  was  the  citadel  had  certainly 
met  with  a  fail  when  two  .\ns;lican  clerirymen  could  seek  inter- 
views with  a  distiu^ruished  Roman  theolof;ian,  afterwards  a 
Cardinal,  in  order  to  di-eus- the  terms  on  which  their  Church 
could  ohtain  reconciliation  with  the  I'apal  See.  Froude,  as 
we  have  noted,  made  no  effort  to  conceal  his  feelin>;s ;  New- 
man said  little,  hut  the  prohahilitic'.  arc  that  he  was  even 
'     lit'iii.uu-  ■     \  ol    I,  |,.  ,;(r. 


.'     ! 


iM-»< 


JOHN    IIKNHY    NKWMAN 


490 


iiioro  profoundly  dcproxMl.      '  I  ou^;lit  to  tell  you,"  \\v  wrote 
to  his  sister  Jeuiiiiia,  "ahotit  tlie  Misertrc  at  Home,  niy  fjoin^ 
up  St.  Peter's,  and  tlie  Kaster  illumination,  our  conversations 
with  Dr.  Wiseman  and  with  M.  M\insen,  our  seareh  for  the 
(Muirch  ()f  St.  Thomas  of  ("anterhnry.  my  pil<;rimaKe  to  the 
place  of  St.  Paul's  martyrdom,  the  ('atacoinl)s,  and  all  the 
other  sij;hts  which  have  stolen  away  my  heart,  hut  I  forhear 
till  we  meet.     Oh  that  Rome  were  not  Rome  I  i)Ut  1  seem  to 
see  as  clear  as  day  that  a  union  with  her  is  imiKissihlc.     She  is 
the  cruel  Church  asking;  of  us  impos>il)ilities,  excommunicat- 
iuj;  us  for  diMihedience,   and    now    watcluni;   and   exulting 
over  our  a|)i)roachin>;  overthrow."     The  conversations  with 
Wiseman   were  one  of  the  si;;uificant   event>  of  Newman's 
journey  ;  they  afterwanis  echoed  in  hi-  heart,  and  l)ej;t>t  that 
uneasy  (piestioiiin^  which    ended    with   hi>   repudiation   of 
Anglicanism.     The  mental  peculiarities  which  are  produced 
hy  f;rantinK  to  do;;nia,  rotin^'  on  a  very  pn/,zlinjr  structure  of 
evidence,  the  place  and  ])ower  of  primary  truth,  hail  already 
lu'come  apparent   in   him.     The  wholesome,   rcf^nlative  co- 
operation of  the  intellect  with  the  heart  l>y  which  the  impulses 
of  the  latter  are  carefuliy  examined  with  the  view  of  deter- 
miniiifi  their  legitimacy,  came  to  he   regarded  hy  him    as 
savoring;  of  presmnption.     When  men,  however  richly  en- 
dowed, slip  Into  this  >tate  of  mind,  and  rc(|uire  no  other  pas.s- 
port  for  theological  statements  than  that  they  shall  accord 
with  their  own  fixi'd  conceptions  of  the  revelations  of  Deity, 
they  are  apt  to  search  not  for  facts  as  such,  l»ut  for  facts  that 
appear  to  support  their  position,     .\dver--e  evidence  can  only 
he  encountered  hy  stratagems  that  demorali/e  healthy  think- 
in>;,  and   tne  last  expedient   is  to  throw  the  hnrden  upon 
conscience,  thus  depriviiip  reason  of  its  pnii)er  function  and 
elevatinj;  ((uestionahle  articles  of  faith  to  the  dignity  of  re- 
lipou. 

Froudeand  hisfather  havin},'  started  for  Kn-jland.  Newman, 
full  of  uncertainty  al)out  the  future,  returned  for  a  while  to 
Naples.     lie  was  repelled  hy  its  iilittcr  and  jilare,  which  were 


,.''•' 


11 


^  '    5 


500     TIIUKK    KKMClors    I.KADKKs  ov  OXKOIU) 


III  ih 


li 


I        !' 


Ir! 


i!i    ' 


!| 


ill  painful  ((.iitriist  with  (he  jiravc  inclmiclioly  of  the  cjipital. 
"Oh,  wliat  a  diaiiKf  from  the  majestic  peiisivciu'ss  of  the 
phicc  I  havt'  left,  whtTf  the  Chiircli  sits  in  sackcloth  calling 
on  those  that  pass  in   to  say  if  any  one's  sorrow  is  like  her 
sorrow  :"  '     "  Flow  shall  I  descrihe  the  sa<lness  with  which  I 
left  the  tomi)s  of  the  Apostles?     Ifoine,  not  as  a  city,  hut  as 
the  scene  of  sacred  history,  lias  a  part  of  my  heart,  and  in 
going  away  from  it   I  am  a>  if  tearing  it  in  twain."-     He 
elaborated  this  latest  opinion  in  order  to  dismiss  his  lingering 
helief  that   in   some  sen>e  the   Papal  Church   was  recreant. 
The  city  it>elf.  he  asserted,  had  possessed  l>ut  one  character 
for  two  thousind  five  iumdre<l  years;    of  late  centuries  the 
Christian  ("iuircii  had  heen  the  slave  of  this  cliaracter.     The 
da\  drew  near,  however,  wlien  the  cai)ti\<-  would  he  freed. 
Meanwhile  lioine's  memory  would  ever  l)e  s(H)thing  to  him; 
Jerusalem  alone  could  impart  a  more  exalted  comfort.     Thus 
he  sums  u'p :    "in  point  of  interest  I  have  seen  nothing  like 
Ithaca,  the  .Straits  of  Messina,  and  Kgesta  (I  put  aside  i{ome), 
and  in  point  of  scenery  nothing  like  Corfu.     .\s  to  Koine,  I 
cannot  help  talking  of  it"  .  .  .  and  once  more  he  utters  the 
plaintive  cry      "()  iJanc,  that  thou  wert  not  IJoinel"'    She 
stood  out  like  a  towering  mountain  on  a  receding  shore  and 
outvied   them    all    in    the   endlessness    and    i)ower    t)f    her 
appeal. 

He  had  drawn  away  from  his  comjjanions  that  he  might 
see  again  the  towns  an<l  hill  country  of  Sicily,  and  there  plan 
the  campaign  on  which  he  and  Froude  were  jointly  resolved. 
When  MouMgnore  Wiseinaii  ex])ressc(l  the  courteous  hope 
t hat  they  woul<l  visit  him  again,  .Xewin.iu  rei)lied,  with  great 
gravity,  "We  have  a  work  to  ilo  in  England."  '  How  seri- 
ously they  took  thcmsclvt's  and  their  i)rojected  crusade 
appeared  in  their  choice  of  .\(hillcs'  jmaid  si)ecch  as  the 
motto  for  the  "Lyra  Apostolica":    "They  shall  know  the 

•  "  I.i'tlcrs  ai„l  ('(irre:<|j<iinii.|ic,."  ;    Vol.  I.  p    .{(s. 

■  I'liil  .  \n\.  I.  i,.  SM.  >  H,i,i.    \..l.  I,  p.  ;{14. 

•  "AlMildnia"  ;    p.  ;i4. 


t    {  ': 
i 

■  1, 

IL 

[■  ;'i 

JOHN    IIKNKY    N'KWMAN 


501 


(lifj'ereiur  now  that  I  am  l)a(  k  ajiain."  '  Tlu-  sayinj;  was  not 
inappropriat*'  to  the  warfare  that  i'n>Ufd,  wliich  was  to  cause 
so  many  woumls,  and  U;\\v  so  many  u^;ly  scars  behind. 

His  heart  tlnis  full  of  the  portents  of  this  conflict,  Newman 
fell  ill  of  a  fever,  a  circumstance  which  he  rejianled  as  provi- 
dential and  afterwards  repeatedly  descrihed  in  most  solemn 
and  searching;  word>.  it  marked  anotiier  sovcreinn  moment 
in  his  life,  appearini;  to  him  partly  as  a  jnil;,'inent  on  his  past 
faults,  and  partly  as  an  assurance  of  heaven's  forf;i\eness  and 
<lirection.  "I  felt  (lod  was  fi^'htin<;  aj;ainsi  me,  and  felt  at 
last  I  knew  why  it  was  for  self-will."  The  sense  of  his 
frailty,  the  i)eril  of  his  i)ride,  the  hurden  oi  iiis  mission,  and  his 
insufficiency  for  itsdischarfie,  instipitc(l  a  severe  examinaticm 
of  his  motives.  Nor  was  this  the  rc>nlt  of  hasty  decision 
induced  hy  j)hysical  weakness,  for  he  remanded  the  case  Tm- 
til  he  returned  to  Oxford:  his  illnos  occurred  in  May,  \Srt'.i, 
his  account  of  it  was  not  i)e;;un  until  .\u,i;ust  '-'A  of  the  year 
followinj;,  and  was  continued  at  intervals  as  late  as  1S74. 
"1  felt  and  kept  >ayin.t,'  to  myself  '  1  have  not  simied  apdnst 
lifjht,"  and  at  the  one  time  I  had  !i  most  con>olin<;  overpower- 
ing thou<;ht  of  (lod's  electing  lo\t',  and  seemed  to  feel  I 
was  Ilis.  .  .  .  Next  day  1  >ecmcd  to  sec  more  and  more 
of  my  utter  hollowni-ss.  1  Ix-^an  to  think  of  all  my  professed 
principles,  and  felt  they  were  mere  intellectual  deductions 
from  one  or  two  admitteti  truth>.  I  compared  myself  with 
K'ehle,  and  felt  that  1  was  merely  developin};  his,  not  my 
conviction.-.  .  .  .  Indeed  thi>  is  how  I  look  on  myself; 
very  nnich  as  a  pane  of  j:la>s,  wiiich  tran-mits  heat,  heinj; 
cold  itself.  I  have  a  \  i\  id  i)erce])tion  of  the  conseciuences  of 
certain  admitted  i)rinciplcs,  lia\f  a  con>idcral>le  iutelli'ctual 
capacity  of  drawing'  them  out,  have  the  refinement  to  admire 
them,  and  a  rhetorical  or  histrionic  |)ower  to  ri-prc-cnt  them; 
ami  havinj:  no 'Teat  i/'.c  no  \i\iii)  love  of  this  world,  whether 


'1l! 


'  Iliail  Will.  I,,  1.'."),  "  ! ' :  ui'i  !■  .V  ^<;  Rrj  r)rjf>!n-  (-,ui  7!o\(fioio  Tf  Trai'MO' " 
I  he  a.-.MTlioii  r,f  Ailijlli'^  In  rii.irv  «li,.ii  I,,'  iitiirrii-il  I'l  tli.>  fia\  tluit  In  iiiinlit 
avciiKi'  liiiiisi'lf  oil   Il,.i'i,,r  for  llif  ilcaili  of  ratrorlus. 


i  *^i 


THHEK    UKLKilOlS    LKADKRS  OF   OXFORD 


J 


h  1 


'  \ 


f 


riches,  honours,  or  iiiiytliinn  else,  aiul  some  firmness  and 
natural  <lif;iiity  of  cliara<ter,  take  the  [jrofession  of  them  upon 
me,  as  I  miglit  sin>;  a  tune  wliich  I  like  —  loving  the  Truth, 
but  not  possessiiij;  it,  for  I  believe  myself  at  heart  to  he  nearly 
hollow,  i.r.  with  little  love,  little  self-<lenial.  I  believe  I  have 
some  faith,  tliat  is  all ;  and,  as  to  my  sins,  they  need  my 
possessing,'  no  little  amount  of  faith  to  set  ajrainst  them  and 
gain  their  remission."  ' 

Studied  impartiality  was  foreign  to  \ewn)an's  character; 
his  strong  sense  of  what  was  real,  or  of  what  he  wished  to 
believe  was  real,  prevented  him  from  always  doing  ^  -stice 
either  to  himself  or  others,  so  that  his  confessions,  like  many 
similar  ones,  were  excessive  in  their  self-depreciation.  As- 
suredly he  was  j)re|)ared  for  any  sacrifice  which  would  bene- 
fit his  soul ;  and  despite  his  skci)tical  tendencies  faith  was  his 
in  abundance,  whate\cr  i>;,'y  be  urged  against  some  objec- 
tives to  which  he  attached  it.  His  lo\e,  however,  was  not 
of  that  quality  which 

"(Jives  to  every  power  a  <Ioiil)Io  power 
Above  their  functions  and  tlieir  offiees." 

Toward  men,  except  for  his  closest  friends,  it  was  narrow  and 
embarrassed,  and  lacked  the  glow  of  sympathy;  even  when 
offered  to  Ciod  it  1  not  have  that  restful  response  of  the 
heart  made  per.  in  the  charit\  which  casts  out  fear. 
His  dread  that  cs  ciitial  truth  was  not  his  has  been  shared 
by  devout  thinkers  whose  conceptions  of  the  truth  and  of 
the  nature  of  its  sanctifying  power  have  widely  diH'ered. 
Bu*.  "wisdom  is  sometimes  nearer  when  we  stoop  than 
when  we  soar,"  and  nothing  testified  more  clearly  to  the 
gemiineness  of  Newman's  religious  nature,  or  to  the  presence 
of  the  life  of  (iod  in  him,  than  did  these  admissions  an<l 
penitences. 

Four-fifths  of    his    i)ul)lishcd   poems,   if  the  "Dream  of 

'  "Letters  and  CorrespoiKleiue"  ;    \'ol    1.  |>|).  ;{•),'> -;jr>(i. 


JOHN    HKNKY    NKWMAN 


503 


Gerontius"  is  excluded,  were  written  duriiin  liis  tour  in 
Soutliern  Europe.  Many  of  them  first  appeared  in  the  lirit- 
ish  Maymiue  as  lyrical  compositions  of  the  "proper  kind." 
Althoujjh  they  were  spontaneous  effusions,  sprinjjinn  directly 
from  the  thoughts  and  events  of  the  moment,  and  <lealing 
with  sentiments  then  present  in  his  heart,  competent  critics 
have  given  them  a  high  place  in  literature,  and  Mr.  H.  11. 
Hutton  asserts  :  "  For  grandeur  of  outline,  purity  of  taste,  and 
radiance  of  total  effect,  I  know  hardly  any  short  poems  in  the 
language  that  equal  them."  '  Nor  were  they  without  pres- 
ages of  the  future.  Despite  weakness  aiul  humiliation, 
Newman  felt  that  he  was  being  divinely  led  onward  to  some 
enterprise,  he  knew  not  what,  hut  for  which  grace  and  wisdom 
would  be  given.  Ilis  wistful  yet  resignetl  longing  to  see 
the  way  liefore  him,  the  pathetic  but  un  •omi)laining  en- 
treaties for  guidance  of  an  eager  soul  caught  and  confused  in 
the  darkness,  found  permanent  form  in  the  beautiful  hymn 
which  he  wrote  on  the  orange  boat  that  carried  him  from 
Palermo  to  Marseilles,  when  becalmed  in  the  Straits  of  Boni- 
facio. Familiar  as  the  lyric  is,  it  nuist  be  transcribed  here, 
since  it  has  long  enjoyed  the  grateful  ai)pre(iation  of  a  multi- 
tude of  similarly  seeking  or  sorrowing  ones  who  are  content 
to  wait  until  the  da^-  breaks  and  the  shadows  tlee  awav. 


ii  ' 
I  i 


;f 


"Lt>a(l,  kinilly  li^lit.  iiiiiiil  tli'  cncirclin);  gloom, 

lA'iitl  Tlidii  trie  (III ; 
The  niglit  is  ilark,  mikI  I  iiiii  far  from  lioiiic; 

Ix'lid  Tliou  me  on  ; 
Keep  Thou  my  h-i-t ;   I  <lo  not  ask  to  s<'0 
The  distant  scene.  —  one  step  eiiou>;li  for  me. 


M 


"I  was  not  ever  thus,  nor  prayed  that  Thou 

Siiouldst  leaii  me  on  ; 
I  loved  to  choose  and  see  my  path;   hut  now 

I^-ad  Thou  me  on. 
I  loved  tile  parisli  day,  and,  spite  of  fears, 
Pri<le  ruletl  my  will  :   reiiieiiil)er  not  past  years. 

'  "Carflin.il  Nowiiiaii";    p.  44. 


i  m 


,/!.J 


I      :       ,>, 


504      THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

"So  lonfc  Thy  power  hath  blest  me,  sure  it  still 

Will  lead  me  on 
O'er  moor  and  fen,  o'er  crag  and  to-  rent,  till 

The  night  is  gone ; 
And  with  the  morn  those  angel-faoes  smile, 
Which  I  have  loved  long  since,  and  lost  awhile." 


,l'i 


i:!! 


CHAPTER    XI 
TRACTARIANISM   AND   ITS   RESULTS 


U  . 


Ul 


.505 


I   ■11 


•im~_ 


I 


/!  ' 


"()l.l)  riistfuiii  ami  itistitiitions,  even  of  the  most  trivial  kind,  linger 
lon^;  lifter  their  ori^'in  has  U'eii  forgotten  anil  some  new  justiHcatioli 
has  iieeii  inveiiteil  for  them.  Forms  of  hiiiKunne  anil  of  thought  have 
a  similar  vitalitv,  ami  |M'r^ist  long  after  tliev  are  rei'ii^nised  as  cinn- 
hroiis  ami  misleiulinj;.  K\erv  ehaii);!'  miiNt  originate  with  some  imli- 
viilual  who,  liy  \  irtiie  of  his  oriKinalitv,  imist  Iw  in  ini|)erfeel  syinpatliy 
with  the  mas^  of  his  eontemporaries.  Nor  ean  any  man,  however 
versatile  his  intelleet,  aecommoilate  his  mimi  easily  or  siM-tilily  to  u 
new  taetluMi  ami  a  new  onler  of  ideas." 

Siu  Lksi.ik  .Stei'HKN. 


"  Thon  shalt  have  eaeh  tiling 
Belovi-d  most  dearly;   this  is  the  first  shaft 
Shot  from  the  how  of  exile.      Thou  -.hall  prove 
How  Milt  the  savour  is  of  other's  iiread ; 
How  hard  the  passajce  to  iles<i'nd  and  oliml) 
By  other's  stairs." 

D.WTK. 


\>\> 


;     t 


:<i.    If: 


i;i; 


I 'i 


506 


(  HAITKU    XI 


TK.VrTAUlAMS.M    AND    ITS    KKSILTS 


'i  I 


SiipprtNsinii  of  Irisli  Mshoprics  Almscs  of  An);li<'iiiii-<iii  -  Kchlf's 
stTinoii  oil  Ntitioiuil  Apostasy  -  Koriimtioii  of  tlic  Tnictiiriiiii  piirtv  - 
The  Tracts  iinil  tlicir  tciicliiiiK'*  "  '"''«'  ^"'Nrccs  of  Anjjli'anisiii  Cath- 
olicity of  AiiKlicaiiisin  liii|M'!U'lniu'iit  of  IVotcstaiitism  I'liscy's 
part  ill  tiif  iiiovcnifiit  IIukIi  .lames  Uosc  William  I'aliiiiT  Uoli- 
jTt  Isaac  Willwrforcc  Charles  Marriott  Isaac  Williams  William 
John  Co|M'l;iMil  The  llampilcii  and  other  coiitroxcrsics  Appear- 
ance of  Tract  Ninety  Newman's  trenil  toward  Uome  -Condemna- 
tion of  the  Trai't    -  Opposition  of  the  i>ishops       I'lstalilishmcnt  of  the 

Jerusalem   l)isho|)ri( Defeat   of  Williams  ami  I'usey  -    I)e);radation 

of  Ward  -  Ks>ay  on  the  Di'velopinent  of  Christian  DiMtriiie  New- 
man's secession  —  His  career  in  the  lloman  Catholic  Church  —  Kpi- 
li>K>ie. 

I 

FcM.Y  restortMl  to  lu-altli  and  cajier  for  tlic  conflict,  \o\v- 
inan  rctunu-il  to  Knjrlantl  in  Inly,  \S:V.],  to  find  tiiat  political 
dcvclopnu'Mts  were  lulpinn  to  mature  the  i)rojects  over 
wliich  he  and  Fronde  had  ImxMled.  The  ionj;-cxpeeted 
blow  at  the  Kstahlishnieiit  had  fallen;  ten  Irish  sntl"ra};an 
bishoprics  and  two  prospective  archiepiscopal  sees  were 
ahont  to  he  suppressed  ;  a  continp-ncy  which  ontrajjnl  the 
feelings  of  many  An);licans,  temled  to  sever  other  friendships 
besides  that  between  Whately  and  Newman,  and  crystallized 
the  action  of  ck'r<!;> men  who  were  intent  on  a  larmier  nieastire 
of  independence  for  the  Church  in  her  relations  to  the 
State.  They  were  not  ajirced  on  this  question :  advance*! 
Churchmen  favore<l  a  i)ractical  autonomy;  with  the  rest  it 
was  a  matter  of  conxcnience  rather  than  conviction.  The 
disestablishment  of  a  State  (^hurch  which  did  not  muster 
more  than  half  the  Protestants  south  of  the  Tweed,  and  an 

.■,07 


i  v,-\ 


''I 

op 


III 


•s      f   I 


.508     THRKK    UKLIOIOUS   LKADKUS   OK   OXFOItl) 

infinitely  Irss  nunifHf  across  tho  Irish  ("Imnntl,  H|)|Haif«l  to 
the  sense  of  justice  in  many  puhlieists,  while  to  leaders  such 
us  Kehle.   Fromie,  aiul  Newman  the  proposition  savonnl  of 
•lisruption  and  anarchy.     The  prohlem  wa-  Turther  compli- 
cated hy  the  rapid  f;rowth  of  iMipulation  in  the  I'nited  Kinj?- 
dom  durinj;  the  nineteenth  century,  a  condition  that  inten- 
sified the  liitherto  neglected  demand  for  additionid  church 
acconun(Mlation.  which  zealous  men  of  various  parties  vigor- 
ously min'i].     Friends  and  foes  alike  were  also  disturln-d  hy 
the  anomalous  inetpialities  of  Church  funds.     The  income 
of  hishoprics  ran>;e<l  from  thirty-two  thou.saud  pounds  for 
Cunterhury  and  twenty  thousand   pounds  for   Durham  to 
sums  which  were  harely  sufficient  to  cover  expenses.     The 
•leaneries  of  Westminster,  Windsor,  and  St.    Paul's  nette<l 
from  seven  thousand  to  twelve  thousand  pounds  each,  and 
a  miml)er  of  rectories  from   five  thousand  to  ten  thousand 
pi)unds.     At  the  other  extreme  the  poorer  clergy  were  mis- 
erahly  paid,  not  less  than   four  thousand  of  the  livings  in 
England   and   Wales  having  a  stiix-nd   under  one  hundred 
and  fifty  i)otmds  a  year.     Larjre  munhers  of  these  fell  he- 
low  fifty  pounds,  and  as  a  conseciuencc  parochial   work  was 
pauperized.     One  third  of  the  clerjty  were  pluralists,  some 
holdiiiK  as  many  as  five  henefices.     The  law  that  required 
incumhents  to  reside  in  their  parishes  was  openly  violati-d, 
canons  and  rectors  living  where  they  chose  and  leavitij;  their 
duties   to  curates  on   a  starvation   wage.     One  clergyman 
holding  two   rectories  hringing  in  twelve  hundred  jxnmds 
was  said  to  have  paid  eighty-four  pounds  for  the  work  done 
in  hoth.     Bishop  Sparke  of  Kly,  his  son.  and  his  son-in-law 
jointly  received   aiunially  over  thirty   tliousand   pounds  of 
(^hurch    moneys.     Archhishop   Moore    is    reputed    to   have 
die<l  a  millionaire,  and   that    mild    hut   rapacious  prelate, 
Archhishop  Mamn-rs  Sutton,  presented  se\  en  of  his  relatives 
to    sixteen    henefices    l)esidcs    several    cathedral    dignities." 

'  '"    \\-  f'lriiisli:    •The  Knuliali  Chur.li  in  the  Nineteenth  Century" 
\i)l.  I.  |)|j.  !0-.'   KHt. 


f»n 


JOHN    MKNKY    NKWMAN 


/)«> 


This  nepotism  and  Krewl  lM>(iun«'  u  stiiiidul,  uml  in  1831 
a  Hoval  Connnission  was  upfNiintt'ii  tti  r«'|H>rt  up<jn  its 
caust's  and  ttmsidor  what  n-nuilifs  should  bv  adopted. 
I'arhamentary  (■t>ntrol  was  respoiisihU'  for  such  rank 
abuses :  it  now  en<ieavore«l  to  ahohsh  them  hy  leKishition. 
The  h)nK-eontiruie<l  evil  and  their  helplessness  to  eradicate 
it  evoknl  from  indignant  hearts  the  query,  Has  the  Church 
no  voice  in  her  own  affairs  ?  Evangelicals  were  not  partic- 
ularly concernwl  to  reply  ;  as  a  party  they  had  taken  little 
interest  in  ecclesiastical  chanj^es,  so  long  a  ,he  status  (juo 
favore«l  or  at  least  did  not  interfere  with  their  doctrinal 
preferences.  But  Oxford  inhale*!  an  atmosphere  which  made 
it  ilistrustful  of  all  reforms  and  es{K'cially  of  those  which 
affecteil  the  Church  or  the  Crown.  Its  strictest  loyalties 
centered  around  the  former ;  idealizeil  as  the  fond  mother, 
who  ha<l  inspirwl  the  best  creations  of  the  past,  and  who 
maintained  the  highest  and  widest  possible  .elations  with 
religion,  learning,  art,  architecture;  while  the  Crown  was 
revered  as  the  fountain  of  national  honoi  r  d  security. 
Both  were  so  interdeiK'nd  -nt  that  neither  con  1  be  touched 
without  weakening  the  other,  and  the  niaraudinn  haiul  that 
was  raistnl  against  them  must  be  prompte<l  by  ignorance, 
impiety,  or  treason.  The  misguided  or  deliberate  enemies 
of  settled  government  who  went  about  to  suppress  bishoprics 
antedating  the  State  itself,  and  to  confiscate  or  re<listribute 
endowments  derivtHl  from  the  gifts  of  pious  foundt-rs,  wouki 
presently,  without  doubt,  find  in  University  affairs  tlie  next 
object  of  their  uidicensed  interference.  Such  sentiments 
were  current,  not  only  in  Oxford,  but  in  a  thousand  town  and 
country  parsonages  throughout  the  land.  They  found  a 
historic  expression  in  John  Kebic,  who,  despite  his  disinclina- 
tion to  public  controversy,  emerged  from  seclusion,  and 
challenge*!  parliament  and  the  nation  in  behalf  of  the  rights 
and  liberties  of  Anglicanism.  Uv  bclie\-ed  that  the  Establish- 
ment, although  in  dire  need  of  purification,  was  not  only  a 
formal  recognition  of  religion  by  the  State,  but  its  bulwark 


if 


5 


nil, 


'.i'  u 


')!()      TIlltKK    KKMdIOl  S    LKADKHS   OK   (►XKOUD 


I!.. 


Kl 


iiKiiiii^t  lilMTiiliMii  iitiil  iiKiriil  drKciuracv  (iimlitimis  which 
he  iilnitifinl  ji>  ciiux-  ami  ftfiTt.  After  rfiM-at«Hlly  (lis«'ii-»- 
inn  thcM-  and  kirnlntl  thi-in<-s  in  the  CninnKiti  Kuoni  at 
Oriel,  Kelile  ami  his  friends  pledged  tlu-nis^lves  tn  write  and 
.s|Mak  for  the  ( 'liurch.  Their  situation  was  suniewhat  incon- 
sistent, inasmuch  as  they  conceived  their  conimitnion  to  he  a 
divine  ordii.ition,  and  este«  ined  its  spiritualities  aho\  e  every- 
thing else,  yet  thest'wereof  necessity  closely  associated  with 
tilt'  temporal  authority  whicli  nominatetl  deans  and  hishops, 
and  regulated  doctrine  and  discipline.  Moreover,  her  union 
with  the  State  made  tlie  Church  the  ally  of  tlie  powerful 
mid  the  rich.  And  for  the  Tractarians  to  company  with 
tiiose,  whih- «'on<iemnint;  others  who  ardently  desired  her  re- 
generation as  anti-('hri>tian  in  tlicir  polic  \ ,  iiivoivid  the 
ileHiiition  of  what  Christianity  really  was  and  how  its  teacli- 
in^Cs  aflVctcd  the  entire  (|iiestioii. 

This  Kehic  undertook  to  some  extent  in  his  Oxford  Assize 
sermon,  delivered  on  l.,<trd's  Day,  .Inly  11,  |s:i;j.  He  felt 
that  the  duty  and  the  hour  for  its  dischar^re  had  heeii  granted 
him,  and  he  used  the  opportunity  to  the  full  in  his  discourse, 
entitle<i  "National  .\postasy."  To  his  utterance  Newman 
attriimted  the  actual  origin  of  Tractariaiiism,  saying  that 
he  had  ever  considt-red  and  ki-pt  tlie  ijay  as  the  start  ol 
the  religious  movement  of  \SX\.  \  siiiH-rficial  view  ha- 
ascribed  KeMe's  imiK'achmeiit  to  the  suppression  of  tin 
Irish  hisliopri<s,  but  actually  its  main  causes  were  to  In- 
found  in  the  si)iritual  dearth  of  Antilicanism,  which  eiiahle.j 
uns<rupulous  [xiliticians,  as  he  deemed  them,  to  tak»'  advan- 
tage of  the  j;«''»'ral  weakness.  Kurtlier,  he  believed  that 
faith  and  <trder  were  jeopardized  when  the  episcopate  wa> 
reduced  in  numbers  or  in  authority  by  civil  decrees.  On 
this  matter  he  and  his  collea>,'iies  were  sincere,  inexorablt , 
and  united.  The  consideration  that  no  changes  in  ecclesi- 
astical mctlnKls  could  i)ennanently  imp.iir  the  vitality  ani! 
energy  of  the  New  Testament  Kvan^el  had  no  weight  with 
clerics  who  were  swayed  by  the  influences,  gooil  or  bad,  ot' 


U  ! 


JOHN    IIKNKN     NKVVMAN 


:>ii 


tlu'ir  mii(|iit'  ^iirruiiinlinn^.  'I'lu  \  iii\( •^t^(l  tlirir  siucrilotiil 
('laiMi,s  with  tilt'  >;iii<  iit.\  ot  ci  iiliMiliilr  rrM'latiini,  ami  liclil 
liat  (lie  totality  of  (ioil'^  woilviii^  forrr  in  the  world  \va^, 
III  (-.-.fill",  a  prir-tly  |m>s-.<  .-inn.  Tin-  aliility  to  ■'tr  t-vfry 
siiic  of  a  (|iii->tion,  mi  iin  i  ^~ary  for  (■oni|>rriicii>ivr  ami  safr 
(■oiMliision>,  wa-<  not  a  ^'ift  of  tlic  'i'ractarian^,  >»t  tlitir  nar- 
rowiH--^  of  ontlook  \\a^  not  diif  to  an>  ron-rioii'-  paitrrin^j 
uitii  till'  fa<'t>,  l)iit  to  <  rrtain  tncntal  ami  moral  liniitatious. 
Tiiat  all  intii  arc  tnorr  or  l(•>-^  thr  \i(tinis  of  tlicsc  liinita- 
tions  i-  a  trui>iii  tliat  slmnlil  rr-train  iin|)atirnr(-  at  what 
naturally  .'Miistiu  a^toni>ilill;,'  infatuation  of  thr  Tracta- 
riaiis,  ami  K»'l)l<''s  ol)>  rNations  can  he  jmljinl  acronlinnly. 
("hiinlinii'ii,  >aiii  the  jjrraclicr,  ami  hy  this  he  meant 
An^liian>,  hail  hitlurto  taken  it  for  <;rant('<l  that  Kn^laml 
"  hail  for  cent  uric-.  acknowleilj;eil,  as  an  essential  part  of  her 
theory  of  ^oxcrnini  nt,  that,  a-  a  ( 'hri^tiaii  nation,  she  i.^  aUo 
a  part  of  Christ's  Church,  ami  liomiil  in  ail  iier  ic^isiation 
anil  policy  hy  tlie  fiimlanicntal  iawsof  fliat  Clnircii."  'I'his 
pro|)osition  practically  assertcil  tliat  An;;licans  simnid  dic- 
tate the  laws  of  lsn;;iand,  and  it  couid  iiavc  liecii  extended 
with  equal  lei;itimai'y  to  tiic  i're  .tiyterianism  estaiili>iied  in 
Scotland.  "  When  a  ^o\iriimcnt  and  |)eopic,  >o  con>titut«'d," 
he  added,  "threw  otV  the  restraint  wiiicii  in  many  respects 
such  a  i>rim'iple  would  impo-c  upon  tiicni,  na.\ ,  disavowed 
the  princii)le  itself,"  siidi  conduct  was  a  "direct  disaxowal 
of  the  soverei>;nt\' (if  (rod.  Hit  l>ctructiiat  sucii  eiiact:uents 
are  forced  on  the  le>;i>iature  l>y  juitiiic  o|>inion,  is  .\postasy 
too  hard  a  word  to  dcMTilu'  tlie  tciui>cr  of  >ucli  a  nation?" 
These  extracts  present  tile  ^ulistance  of  a  remonstrance  con- 
ceived in  tiie  strictest  |)arti-aiisliip,  yet  addroM'd  to  ail 
Kuftland.  Its  lan^juau'c  di-cio-cil  no  careful  -tiidy  of  tliose 
stages  in  national  e\olution  whicii  liad  rcndcreii  unavoidai)le 
the  ehanjies  painfully  re-cntcd  liy  Kcl)ie.  It  manifc-*cil 
a  tem|)er  helon^iiif;  to  the  i,'cninl  days  of  tiic  .\ct  of  I'n!  ,\- 
ity  rather  than  tiie  niuetecntli  century.  Coinnnmitv  of  in- 
terest and  sympatliy,  wiiich  is  the  root  of  social  justice,  was 


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512     TIIKKK    RKLKJIOUS    LKADKIIS  OF   OXKOKD 

(U-stnni'd  l)y  siicli  cxtraordiiiary  prcjiulices.  Contemptu- 
ous towiinl  tlint  txccllciit  aiul  persistent  spirit  operating  in 
iuiinan  i)r().ure>s,  tlic  str<ii<;tii  of  wiiieh  m,  cireunistaiues, 
however  ailverse,  and  no  creed,  however  inllexi])le,  can 
permanently  overcome,  Kehh-  and  his  disciph-s  refused  to 
credit  their  j;eneration  witii  any  jiood  thinj;,  and  mourned 
over  its  shortcominf^s  witii  a  mistaken  ^rief.  Some  amonj; 
tiiem  were  inordinately  lachrymose:  deprived  of  domestic 
joys  and  feedinj;  on  the  des])air  of  their  own  hearts,  they 
were  wont  to  display  an  ill-regulated  emotion  over  events 
out  of  all  proportion  to  the  tears  expended  on  them. 

"Xd  iiiiittiT  where;    cif  iniiifort  no  iiiiin  speak: 
Let's  tiilk  of  j;rii\e<,  of  wnniis  ami  epitaphs; 
Make  (hist  our  paper,  and  witli  rairiin;;  eyes 
Write  sorrow  oti  the  liosom  of  the  eartli." 

They  applied  themselves  to  their  theories  witii  unswerving; 
vifjor,  and  r»f;arded  them  as  living;  verities,  never  to  oe 
<ioul)te<l,  always  to  he  ohey<'d,  whi  cr  the  conse(iueiices. 
History  is  |)lentirul  in  similar  exampii  s  showing;  how  merci- 
less and  unjust  theories  can  he:  how  they  can  it  like  a 
scythe,  sei)aratinn  men  and  ntitions,  once  they  arc  allowed 
to  obsess  the  mind  and  to  become  the  watchwords  of  reli- 
gious or  political  cliques. 

Twelvedays  after  Keble's  sermrui  was  preached,  and  seven- 
teen after  Newman's  return  from  the  continent,  IIuf,'h 
James  Iio.se  convened  a  j;athcriii};  jtt  his  rectory  of  Iladlei-rh 
in  Suffolk,  to  consider  the  state  of  the  ("hiirch  ;ind  what 
measures  should  be  ado{)tfd  for  its  betterment.  William 
Palmer,  Arthur  Philip I'erceval,  and  Ilurrcll  Kroudc  accepted 
the  invitation  ;  Keble  iiud  Newman,  thouj:h  absent,  actively 
cooperated  with  the  rest.  "The  meeting;  was  tin-  first 
attempt  to  combine  for  the  jjreservation  of  j;rcat  princi|)lcs," 
remarked  Palmer ;  but  small  iti  niuniuTs  though  it  was,  its 
members  were  not  a;,'rced,  and  finally  they  ailjourned  to  Ox- 
ford.    Those  who  maintained  that  sacreil  beliefs  and  ordi- 


.JOHN    HKNHY    NKWMAN 


013 


t        [  . 


nancos  were  not  >ul)jt(t  toHuctuatioiisof  ideas,  or  to  scientific, 
economic,  and  i)olitiial  conditions,  and  that  apart  from 
hierarcliical  authority  tlierc  could  he  nothing:  hut  confusion 
and  loss,  encountcre<l  a  show  of  resistance  from  tlie  more 
cautious  hrethren.  Nevcrtiicless,  "tlie  Iladlcifrii  conspir- 
acy," as  Fronde  and  iiis  foes  alike  termed  it,  cleared  the  way 
for  sinniltaneous  action,  and  Rose  and  his  companions  after- 
wards sixike  of  themselves  as  "the  Society."  Hurinj;  the 
lonj;  vacation  of  INoo  tiiey  met  apiin  at  Oriel,  and  hy  the 
third  of  Septemi)er  or  tlu-rcahouts,  Newman  had  put  forth 
the  first  three  in  the  series  of  "Tracts  for  the  Times."' 

Resentment  aj;ainst  modern  thou;;ht  and  a  sense  of 
its  danjjcr  to  reli^'ioii  were  their  main  hnrden.  This 
danjier  was  manifested  in  the  secularization  of  the  ("hurch 
and  the  proposed  alteration  of  the  I'raycr  Book  in  a  latitu- 
(linarian  sense  hy  authority  of  parliament.  K\istin<;  heresies 
and  infidelities  were  to  l>e  overcome  hy  archaic  shihholeths 
duly  refurl)ish«(l ;  the  doctrines  of  ai)ostolical  succession  and 
sacramental  ^race,  taking;  the  place  of  evanjiclical  theories  of 
conversion  hy  means  of  prayer  and  preachinf;,  were  trusted 
to  put  to  confusion  enemies  within  and  without  the  Church, 
which,  jHirj^cd  of  the  one  and  defended  from  the  other, 
would  return  to  her  ancient  beliefs  and  renew  her  forgotten 
services.  ^ 

Newman's  first  Tract.  res]M'ctfully  addressed  to  his 
hrethren  in  the  sacred  ministry,  struck  this  note  at  once. 
It  was  an  hnpcrative  sunnnons  to  forsake  unfj(Mlliness,  and 
to  set  the  example  of  unworldly  men  taking'  their  solemn 
office  seriously  and  sacrificially.  They  were  exhorted  not 
to  rest  upon  that  secular  rc-pcetahility,  or  cultivation,  or 
polish,  or  learnini;,  or  rank  which  i;avc  them  a  hearing 
with  the  many;  aiiti  to  have  done  forever  with  the  false 
notion  that  present  palpahle  u-cfulnc'--,  prodiicihle  results, 
aeceptahleness    to    the    I1<m  k    are    iiidnhitalile    evidences    of 

'  Autliiiiilii's  ilifTi-r  :!-.  to  tin-  ilitc.  Di'iiii  Hiirn'Mi  i;i\i's  Si'ptc-iiilMT  .M  : 
Di";ui  Cliuirli.  ScptciiilxT  "."tli :   \\  ilfn-il  Wiinl.    ■  tlii'  U<Tiiiil>tr  folli.uinK," 


;:4 

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* !  ■ 

'  1. 


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514      TIIUKK    RKLKilOlS    LKADKKS   OF   OXKOIU) 

divine  ii|)i)r()Vitl.  In  tlic  l:i>t  day,  Scriptiirt-  warns  us,  the 
recital  of  siicii  proofs  will  in  many  instances  he  met  hy 
the  >tern  sentence,  "  Depart  from  iiie,  for  I  never  km-w  you." 
'riie  Tract  was  as  inlenlionaily  provocative  as  Kehle's 
sermon,  .nid  alxi  as  cxchi^ixc  and  nncompromisirif;.  It  as- 
sailed wliatever  was  imworthy  and  nnich  that  was  customary 
in  the  Church,  and  i>oldly  c\altcd  the  a^'es  of  intolerance  and 
asceticism.  This  i)ack\var(l  <;aze  on  denser  times  was  a  pre- 
vailing; trait  in  tlie  Tractarians.  A  sur|)ri>in;,'  i)assajre  occurs 
in  one  of  Kciije's  honiiiic-,  entitled  "The  IMijiion  of  the 
Day,"  which  would  have  made  an  a|)propriate  motto  for  his 
cause,  and  wherein  lie  declares  tliat  it  would  l)e  a  >;ain  to 
Kni;land  "were  it  vastly  more  superstitious,  more  hijjoted, 
more  j;loomy,  more  tierce  in  its  reli<,'ion,  tiian  at  present  it 
shows  itself  to  l)c." 

The  second  Tract  applied  the  jirinciples  of  the  first  to 
practical  ("hunh  i)olitics.  Wiis  the  State  the  Churchy 
Had  the  State  the  ri^rht  to  create  a  cler^ry,  to  regulate  dio- 
ceses, to  detenninc  in  any  way  ihc  proi)aj;an(la  of  the 
Church?  The  an>wfr  did  not  treml)le;  it  was  emi)hatic, 
even  defiant.  The  Holy  Catholic  Church  was  a  livin<: 
reality,  jjlaced  in  the  Creed  as  an  article  of  faith  iuunedi- 
atcly  after  the  l)clief  in  i!ic  Holy  (}ho->t  ;  .\postolie,  hecau-c 
foimded  hy  the  .\po>tle.;  Catholic,  hecause  it  knew  no 
limitation  of  race;  \'i-ililc,  in  its  divinely  instituted  orders 
of  l>ishoi>s,  |)rie>ts,  and  deacon>;  and  essentially  ahove  all 
civil  autliority  in  matters  of  doctrine  and  ritual.  Further- 
more, communion  with  the  Cluirch,  thus  defined,  wa- 
"generally  nei-essary  to  s;d\,ition  in  tlu-  ca.>c  of  those  who 
could  ()i)tain  it."  In  >lit)rt,  the  Tract  was  a  declaration  of 
war  a^rainst  the  ri<,'ht  of  i)ar!i.ini;Mit  to  any  voice  in  relij;iou- 
matters,  and  a^'ainst  the  Kvan^vlicul  ,ind  Broad  sections  of 
.\nj,dicanism.  "I  -tand  ama/ed,  '  wrote  .\rnold  to  Pusey. 
"at  Mime  a|)paniii  cH'ort^  in  this  I  rotc-tant  Church  to  set 
ujt  the  idol  of  tradition." 

In    the    third    Tract  .Newman  de|)iore(l    a    current    pro- 


lollN    IIKNKN     NKWMAN 


Ol.'l 


posiil  to  revise  tlu'  litiirf:\.  "In  ii  day  like  tliis."  lie 
wrntf,  "tluTc  lire  imt.  two  >iil(-.  /eal  ami  })cr>e(iitioii,  tlu' 
("liurdi  and  tlu-  worM  ;  and  tlwnc  win.  attfinj)!  to  ocriipy 
tlu'  j;roiind  lu'twi'cti  tlicin  at  lic^t  will  io-e  tluir  lahmir, 
hut  prohahly  will  Ik-  drawn  hack  to  tlu-  latter.  He  praetieal, 
I  respeetfuilv  Mrf;e  yon."  .Vny  eli,in;:rs  in  the  litur>;y 
woukl  lead,  he  felt,  to  eontr(iver>y  and  nnhelief ;  the  way 
would  he  opened  to  ohjeetor>  who  disliked  its  teachinjj; 
rather  than  its  form  to  tamper  with  hoth. 

During'  is:'. I  twenty  Tracts  were  pnhli-he<l,  nine  of  them 
heinj;  from  .Newman's  pen.  Tiie  theo|iij;y  and  practice  of 
the  ei;;hteenth  century  were  discarded  and  denotnurd,  and 
the  cler},'y  were  admonished  to  hetake  tliem>elves  to  the 
Carolinian  divines  and  to  their  in-trnctors,  the  early  Fathers. 
In  Noveml)er  of  the  same  year  the  first  vohune  of  Tracts, 
forty-seven  in  mnnher,  was  |»uhli>hed,  "with  the  object 
of  coiitrihutinir  somethini;  towards  the  practical  revival  of 
doctrines,  which,  althon<;h  lu'ltl  hy  the  j.'rcat  divines  of  our 
Church,  at  present  have  hecome  ohsoletc  with  the  majority 
of  her  memhers,  and  are  withdrawn  from  piihlic  view  even 
hy  the  more  learned  and  orthodox  few  wlio  still  adhere  to 
them."  At  intervals  five  more  volumes  appeared.  In 
the  preface  to  the  third  of  these,  issued  in  ls:U».  the  editors, 
referrinj;  to  the  hr>t  Tracts,  remarked  that  they  "were 
written  with  the  hope  of  rovisint;  memi)er>  of  our  Church  to 
comimhend  her  alarming  jx.sition  .  .  .;  as  a  man  mi;iht 
jjive  notice  ot  a  fire  or  an  immdatiou,  to  startle  all  who 
heard  him  ...  to  infus*'  siTioUsUt'^s  into  the  iiulitl'erent. 
.  .  .  Now,  howfver,  <liscus>ion  hecame  more  seasonahle 
than  the  simple  statements  of  doctrine  with  which  the  series 
hejran;   and  their  chiiracter  accordini;l\   chani;etl." 

Shnultaneously  with  the  Tracts  other  llook^  were  sent 
forth  to  support  the  novel  theories,  in  accordance  with 
New-man's  plan  of  fiiviuL'  tlu'in  a  wide  publicity.  His  own 
works  on  "The  IVophetical  OlHce  of  the  Church,"  on  "The 
Ariaiis,"  alreailv  not ice<l,  and  also  on  "  .lustitication  "  apm-aretl 


-  '■> 
4 


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510      TIIHKK    KKLKilOlS    LKADKKS   OK   OXFOHD 


i    ! 


Ill    is;{7   anil    IS;!s.      [„    ,i„,   |.,tt,,r  yciir  the   first   volume 
of    t|u>    "Lilirary    „f    the    FatluTs,"    of    wliidi    Charles 
Marriott  hecaiiu-  inaiiaKiiiK  editor,  was  puhlished,  followttl 
hy    fifty    volumes    in    siiceeedinj;  years,    the    object  heiiiK 
to  furnish    tlie    clerfry    with    the   teaehinji   of   the   ("hureh 
before  the  division   between    Kast   and   West.     About  the 
same  time  another  series  was  issued,  the  "Library  of  Auglo- 
Cutholie    Theoio>;y,"    eomi)risinf;    the    writings   of    notable 
Enjriish  divines  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries. 
In    l.S:i9    Isaac    Williams,  of   whom   we   shall    hear  aRain, 
commenced  a  series  of  "  Plain  Sermons  by  Contributors  to 
the  Tracts  for  the  Times  "  for  the  purpose  of  heartening  the 
fearful  and  jrnidiuK  tiie  i)erplexed.     In  the  pericMlical  press 
the  Movement  was  ably  and  vifjoronsly  representi'd  bv  the 
liritish    Critic    and    b\-     its    successor    the    Christian    lie- 
ineinhninnr.     Amonji  others  who  contributed  to  the  Tracts 
were  Keble,  his  lirot  her  Thomas,  Benjamin  Harrison,  Georjre 
Bowden,   Ilnrrell    Fronde,  Isaac  Williams,  Alfred    Menzies, 
and    I'usey.     Despite  Newman's  <lei)rccation   of   corimrate 
effort,    an.l    his    a\()wal    that    no    jjreat   achievement   was 
ever  wrought  by  a  system  ;   whereas  systems,   on  the  con- 
trary, arose  out   of  in.lividnal  energy.  Palmer  insi.sted  on 
further  organization  ;  the  laymen  were  enlisted,  and   an  ad- 
dress of  protestation  was  signed  by  eight  thou.sand  Angli- 
cans and  presented  to  the  I'rimate. 

These  proceedings  came  none  too  soon ;  the  third  decade 
of  the  nineti'i-nth  cenf.;ry  found  the  Kstal)lisluH|  C^hurch 
in  large  measure  what  she  had  been  when  she  rejected  the 
Wesleys  and  their  mission.  SIu>  was  still  slumbering  and 
sleeping  u  hen  the  days  of  trouble  came  upon  her.  "  Nothing, 
as  It  seems  to  nic,"  Dr.  Arnold  confessed  in  1S;5:?,  "can  save 
the  Church  but  uni.Mi  with  tlie  Dissenters;  now  that  thev 
are  leagued  with  the  Anti-Christian  party,  and  no  merel'v 
internal  reforms  will  satisfy  them."'  This  v Mespread 
hostility,    followe<l,   as   it   was,   by   the   publication   of  the 

'  Di-tiii  .Slaiili.y:    "  Lift'  of  Ariiolil";    Vol.  I.  pp.  li'M-.i  li>. 


.1    i 


"l  ll' 


JOriN    HKXKY   NKVVMAN 


517 


Tracts,  alanncfl  tlu-  officials  both  of  Church  and  State; 
but  they  were  totally  uiiprepare<l  to  meet  the  emergency, 
and  behaved  as  men  suri)rised  in  a  moment  of  fictitious 
security.  Lulled  to  somnolenct'  by  their  detachment  from 
the  clergy  and  the  peoi)le,  the  bishops  at  last  awoke  to  the 
possibility  of  a  collapse  lar),'ely  due  to  their  i)rolonKe<l  nej^lect 
and  indifference.  Kven  when  aroused,  some  were  content 
to  indulfic  the  luxury  of  moral  indignation  a;;ainst  Krastian 
mismanaf,'ement,  and  at  the  same  time  to  insist  that  the 
riuirch  should  continue  to  enjoy  the  material  advantages 
slie  derived  from  State  supervision.  But  to  the  majority  of 
the  bishojjs  and  to  all  the  Kvangelicals,  the  Tracts  seemed 
glaringly  inconsistent  with  tiie  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the 
Church  ;  an  act  of  l)etrayal  solemnly  perpetrated  by  grave 
and  revercTid  men,  who  violattnl  the  sacredness  of  their 
calling  and  the  legitimate  construction  of  the  Uubrics  and 
the  Articles. 

In  reality,  Tractarianism  was  a  development  of  the  free- 
dom which  Anglicanism  obtained  at  the  Reformation,  when 
FluroiK'  was  divided  into  two  camps,  and  scholars  and 
Humanists  bei-ame  persecutors  and  martyrs.  In  the  long 
interval  that  had  elapsed,  the  creative  source  of  the  theologi- 
cal opinions  enunciated  by  Xewman  and  his  companions 
had  been  forgotten.  The  Semitic  mind,  which  pnxluced 
the  New  Testament;  the  Hellenistic,  which  produced 
ecumenical  dogmii ;  the  Imperialistic,  which  produced  the 
Papal  rule;  the  Feudal,  which  produced  medieval  theories 
of  ecclesiastical  governance;  the  Xationai,  which  produced 
Protestantism  —  were  all  involved  in  the  chaos  of  that  era 
out  of  which  the  Kstablishment  arose  under  the  suprem- 
acy of  Henry  VIII.  How  nuich  self-governance  was  left  to 
Anglicanism  had  long  l)ecn  disi>uted.  The  compact  between 
Church  and  Crown,  if  such  it  was,  at  any  rate  presumed 
that  the  Church  liad  power  to  make  it.  Precisely  what  it 
signifie<l,  and  the  interpretations  derived  from  its  statements, 
grants  and  reservations,  became  an  acut--  problem  which  dis- 


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.")1S     TIIUKK    UKLICIOUS    LKADKUS  OF   O.XI'OKD 

trt'sscd  iiiul  distorted  tlit-  tlioiijjilits  of  ('liiinlimt'ii.  The 
Tractiiriaiis  (•oniciiiltd  tluit  tlit- Clmrcli  did  not  foncrdc,  nor 
was  >.lir  a>k»d  to  coiurdc,  tliat  lu-r  doctriiu'  should  In-  di-ter- 
iiiiiu'd  or  liiT  law  >  adiiiiiiistcrfd  l>y  other  than  h»T  own  cU-rjry. 
()ri>;inal  powers  of  direction  and  ^Miidanee  wore  earefully 
distinjinislieil  from  tliose  relating'  to  constraint  and  correc- 
tion. Hilt  the  ilistinction  was  too  fragile  to  witlistand  the 
rou;:h  iisaj;e  of  revohitionary  politics.  The  sudden  appro- 
priation to  tlicniscivcs  of  tlie  spiritual  autliority  hitherto 
vested  in  tlie  l'a])acy  aroused  acrimonious  iliscussion  ainonj; 
its  new  possessors,  huriii;;  the  Tn(h)r  and  Stuart  periods 
many  vahialtle  prerof,'atives  were  h-ft  lyin^' loose  wiiieh  fles- 
potic  rulers  and  aniliitious  itatomcn  were  (piick  to  use  for 
their  own  ends.  .\co-.\n;;li(ans  denied  the  plea  that  the 
Holy  Sec  was  until  the  sixteenth  (cntury  lioth  tlie  source  and 
center  of  ecclesiastical  jurixlietion  and  the  su|)reme  judj;c 
of  doctrine.  Following;  Land,  .\ndrcwes,  Ken,  Wilson,  and 
Hammond,  they  went  hchind  the  transfer  of  headship 
from  the  I'op«'  to  the  monarch  ;  l)ehind  the  controversies  and 
schisms  which  succeeded  the  corruptions  of  the  peritnl ; 
and  found  their  hasis  for  the  I'raycr  Hook,  its  liturgies 
and  forms  of  ordination,  in  the  i)urer  and  more  uni- 
versal faith  and  practice  which  flourished  from  the  eleventh 
to  the  thirteenth  centuries.  The  an(  i(>nt  jurisdiction  of 
that  era,  they  aruued,  was  restored  at  the  Reformation, 
without  vital  injury  to  the  contimiity  and  intejjrity  of  the 
Anj;liean  Church.  Mr.  (;iad>tone  summed  up  the  contro- 
versy as  follows:  'I  contend  that  the  (Vown  did  not  claim 
l)y  statute,  either  to  l)e  of  ri;,'ht,  or  to  hecome  l>y  convention, 
the  source  of  that  kind  of  action,  which  was  committed  hy 
the  Saviour  to  the  .\i>o>tolic  Church,  whether  for  the  enact- 
ment of  law-,  or  for  the  administration  of  its  discipline; 
hut  the  claim  wa-,  that  all  the  canons  of  the  Church,  and  all 
its  judicial  jimcccdin^'s,  inasmuch  as  they  were  to  form  parts 
ri  sj)eetively  of  the  laws  and  of  the  lej;al  administration  of 
justice  in  the  kin<;d(»m,  should  rim  only  with  the  assent  ami 


JOHN    IlKKKY    NKWMAN 


519 


sanction  of  the  Crown.  TIu-x  wen-  to  carry  with  tliom  a 
double  foree  — a  foree  of  nxTciim,  vi^ilile  and  palpal)le ;  a 
force  adtlrossod  to  conscicnir,  ncitlicr  visihU'  nor  palpalilc, 
and  in  its  nature  only  tai)ahlc  of  In-iiiK  inwardly  ajjprc- 
ciated."  '  Witho\it  connncntin^'  on  this  ratlier  hd)ored  dis- 
crimination between  a  force  of  coercion  and  one  addressed 
to  conscience,  it  is  enou^di  to  aihl  tliat  Mr.  (Jladstonc  hhn- 
seif  a(hnitted  that  whiU-,  accor.liii;;  to  the  si)irit  and  Utter 
of  the  hiw,  such  ai)i><ar  to  l)e  tiie  limits  of  tlic  royal  su- 
premacy relative  to  the  legislative  action  of  tlu  ("hurch,  in 
other  branches  it  p»cs  farther,  and  that  tiie  claim  of  the 
Oown  to  determine  at  any  point  the  juris(li(tit)n  of  the 
Church  niay  also  be  ct)nstrued  to  mean  tiiat  the  Crouii  is 
the  ultimate  source  of  jurisdiction  of  whatever  kind.-  When 
Henry  VIII  delivered  the  Church  from  the  bonds  of  Rome, 
he  diil  not  free  her;  he  merely  substituted  the  sole  <'ontr<>l 
of  the  Crown  for  the  dual  authority  hitherto  exercised  l)\ 
the  Pope  anil  the  monarch. 

These  scattered  hints  may  serve  to  con\ey  some  idea 
of  the  Tractarian  position,  the  validity  of  which  is 
repudiated  by  able  advocates  of  oi)i)osin<;  schools.  (\-r- 
tainly  her  connection  witii  the  State,  and  the  compromises 
forctnl  ujMHi  her  by  national  and  rcli<;ioiis  necessities, 
enablinl  the  Knj;lish  Church  to  slielter  many  shades  and 
varieties  of  nund  and  opinion.  Whatever  has  been  her 
bearing  toward  some  out^rowt  >  of  Puritanism,  and  in 
this  she  has  little  on  which  to  look  witli  ecpianimity, 
within  her  own  borders  she  has  preserved  a  connnen- 
dable  breadth.  Hy  resistiuf;  the  swashbucklers  of  peculiar 
orthodoxies,  who  soujjht  to  Mcreotyi)e  creeds  and  forms  and 
thus  sever  the  Church  from  the  life  of  the  nation,  she  has 
savinl  herself  from  disintej;ration  and  conferred  }:reat  l)enefits 
on  her  members.     Her  forces  have  not  alwa.v  s  been  rifjhtly 


ic 


Hi 


)C 


-'■1 


1  'Uoiiiarksoii  tlu-  |{..y:il  SiicrciMarv.  :i-  ii  i-^  D.^fiu.^l  liv  lliMv'-ii.  History, 
and  tlio  (■i)iistitiilii)ii"  ;  (ninnlitiii.  .}n\y  in,  |s.",n. 
'  DoanCluircli ;   '■Orra.-jional  l'a|HT^"  ;    pp.  s  '■•. 


I 


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il 

520     THREE    HKLKilOUS   LEADERS  OF   OXFORD 

<liroc'te<l,  yt-t,  at  iiitiTvals,  leaders  liavt>  appeared  who  refiiswl 
to  fall  hack  from  ever-wideiiiiijj  horizons  iij)on  eireiimseril)ed 
areas.     An  orpmi/atioii  which  included  Hooker,  Thirlwall, 
Maurice.    Hohertson    of    Hrighton,    Stanley,    Jowett,    and 
Tait,   top-tlur   with    Laud,    Law,    Kehle,    FnMide,    Tusey, 
Church,  and   Liddon,  can  l>e  said   in  this  respect  to  have 
heen  truly  catholic.     Cynical  ohservers  have  criticized  the 
divisions    which    sej)arated    these   eminent    men,    and    out- 
siders entirely  friendly  to  Annlicaiiism  have  remarked  with 
justice,  that  apart  from  its  alliance  witli  the  State,  it  would 
prolmhly    fall    asunchr    into    contending    sects.     The    fact 
remains,  however,  that  its  wisest  sons,  although  separated 
in   some  beliefs,  have  generally   l)een    faithful   Churchmen 
who    were    not    l>liiid    to    their    inheritance    or    to    the 
.sacrifices   of    its  past    and  the    hojH'    of  its  present    and 
future.      Neither    Tractarians,    Evangelicals,    nor    Broad 
Churchmen  have  always  rightly  conceive<l  and  usimI  their 
free<lom,  hut  this  is  not  a  sufficient  reason  for  its  withdrawal, 
nor  for  the  uniformity  which  would  dejiden,  if  not  <lestn)y, 
liberty  of  conscience  and  opinion.      I'pon  that  liberty  as  a 
sure    foundation    rests   the    strength    of    a    Church    whicii 
aspires  to  l)e  truly   national;   in  which  different  types  of 
character  and  temperament   have  found   a  lial)itation   for 
Christian  scholarship,  and  a  center  for  worship  and  service. 
This  digrt'ssion  helj)s  to  indicate  the  obstacles  the  Trac- 
tarians encountered,  in  which  the  first  question  confronting 
them  was,  "  What  is  the  Church  as  spoken   of  in  England':' 
Is  it  the  Church  of  Christ?"     Hooker,  whose  conclusions 
were  the  outcome  of  a  nol)ly  temperate  mind,  had  dcfintd 
it    as    the    nation,    viewed    in    its    entirety,    and    Arnold 
simply  echoes!  his  definition.     The  Xoiiconformists  declared 
that  it  was  the  aggregat*'  of  separate  congregations,  locally 
independent  and  in  fellowship  one  with  another.     Erastiiin 
lawyers  and  pohticiaiis  regarded  it  as  the  creation  of  tlic 
State,  an  establishment   by  law  under  parliamentary  legis- 
lation and  control.     Roman  Catholics  asserted  that  it  wa> 


I'  '.        i      » 

■  i 

lii. 


.lOIIN    HKNKY    NKWMAN 


521 


not,  ill  iiin  a|)<).sti>lic  and  cutliolir  sciisc,  a  C'luircli  at  all, 
hut  a  sectarian  schism,  cut  off  from  connnnnion  \vi  the 
fountain  of  j;racc  and  spiritual  autlmrity,  and  han  ,)tTcd 
by  an  ignominious  liist(try  of  suhscrviiiiif  to  tlic  ('•own. 
Whatcly's  affirmation,  already  (juotcd,  advani  t-*!  tlic  |)ro|)- 
osititm  tliat  it  was  a  divine  rcli>;ious  society,  distinct  in 
its  attril)Utcs  from  any  otiicr.  Froudc  and  then  Newman 
a<lo])tc<l  and  lieijifiteiUHl  this  theory,  and  a  majority  of  the 
Tructarians  followed  suit,  tea<-hin;;  that  the  Anglican  Church 
was  the  oi\e  historic  iminterrupted  eccle^ia,  tlian  which 
there  could  !)e  no  other  in  Kn^land.'  While  this  doctrine 
tlefieil  Krastianisni,  it  left  the  internal  life  and  teaching;  of 
the  Church  in  nei-*!  of  further  elucidation,  which  the  Tracts 
endeavored  to  supply. 

Althouj;h  descril)ed  f)y  Dean  Church  as  "clear,  l)rief, 
stern  appeals  to  conscience  and  reason  ;  sparing  of  Wdrds, 
utterly  without  rhetoric,  intense  in  purpose;  the  sharp, 
rapid  utterances  of  men  in  pain  and  danjier  and  pressing 
emergency,"  -'  tluy  varied  in  (piality,  and  as  literature  are 
now  deservedly  forgotten.  Some,  indeed,  were  meager  an<l 
«lesultory,  others  consisted  of  (piotations  from  tiie  Fathers, 
or  <lid  not  rise  above  the  level  of  dogmatic  assertion,  and 
while  those  which  came  from  Newman's  i)en  stcKMl  out  in 
favoral)le  contrast  to  the  rest,  little  that  he  contrifiutcd 
enhanced  his  reputation.  IMiscy'-,  cooperation  supplied  a 
needed  element  of  scholarship,  and  what  he  wrote  was 
afterwards  considerably  exi)anded.  .\  spirit  of  chiding  and 
rel)ukc  breatlu'tl  in  the  words  of  these  leaders,  w hiih  seemed 
to  burn  with  the  heat  of  their  compression.  They  were 
exasiH-rated  beyond  endurance  l)y  the  lassitude  and  delusive 
respectability  whicli  deadened  the  enthusiasm  and  spirit  of 
the  Church.  She  tiad  become  the  sanctuary  of  the  "(ligman- 
ity"  and  "  I'hilistinism"  against  which  Carlyle  and  Matthew 
Arnuhl  railed,  and  nourished  uitliin  her  Ijorders  the  sort  of 


'  Dean  ("hurcli : 
*lbid.;  I).  IK). 


•'Tho  Oxfi.rd  .Movi'iiii'iit "  ;  p.  51. 


I 

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522      TIIUKK    KKLKilors    I.KADKUS   <»h'   OXKdKl 

m'litlciiH'ii,  liiy  iiiiil  (IfriiMl.  ^^ln>  w<ir^lii|>nl  flic  iltdiKtioii 
of  tlu-ir  tiwii  n-iisoii  iiixl  tin-  irtiitioiis  of  tlinr  own  laiirv,' 
Itiit  who,  ii(\  . tliclcss,  wen  \\iiniil>  iittailuil  to  t!ic  K>tal)- 
li>liiii(iit,  n  tiict  whii'li  I'Vomlr  aiitl  Nrwinaii  rli<|  not  suffi- 
cii'titly  rfco;iiii/.c.  Nor  were  tin-  times  as  rrady  for  ra<lii°al 
<lian;;i>  as  tlic  Tractarian^  iinaj;inc(l.  'I"li<-  (iiivcr  ity  ami 
the  iialiiin  were  wiilrly  M'|)aratt'(l  in  tlion^;lit  and  ft'clnij;; 
tlir  trinnnint;  diploinacN  of  tlir  majority  ami  tl"  fail  tliat 
tiu-  Clinrcli  al\vay>  saiird  a  little  htiiind  tlic  ajjc,  , 'irasi-d  tlit- 
eonMTvatism  of  tlioM'  who  wen-  free  from  the  dread  that 
she  wonid  l>e  stranded  npon  the  shoals  of  liheralisni.  Mueli 
that  tin-  'I'raetariaiis  adtlresM-d  to  the  nation  sounded  strange, 
shifts,  and  ini>ul»tantial.  'I'he  ai)o>toli<- orij;in  and  eatholie 
natnn-  of  Aiiirlii  ani-ni  a>  a  liraneh  of  the  ne  visible  (  Inirch 
had  no  special  charm  for  that  ^'eneration.  A  certain  l)isho|> 
declared  that  he  was  not  sure  in  what  na'mer  his  office  was 
derived;  others  denoinieed  the  siicenlotali>  n  which  jrlori- 
fied  tliem  as  ( hief  i)a>tor>.  rndisiiiayed,  however,  the 
Nco-An^'licans  inculcated  their  notions  on  the  allej;ed 
linliroken  apostolic  rijihts  of  the  priesthood,  and  tlie  re- 
>;eneratinu'  sacrament^.  Notwithstanding;  I)ean  ('liureir> 
comment  that  they  ap|)eale<l  to  tlie  intellect,  they  seldom 
discussed  reli>;ion  from  tln'  >tandi>oint  of  reason  or  from 
that  of  an  intimate  ac(|uaintanee  witli  the  comparative 
study  of  the  \arious  forms  (liri  tianity  has  assumed  in 
the  course  of  its  pliilo>ophieal  si>eculations.  Nor  diil 
they  extricate  thcm>elve>  from  a  mass  of  intricate  details 
to  rise  to  lari;e  and  luminous  pneralizations.  Apart 
from  I'u-ey.  and  pcriiaps  Newman,  none  of  tlu'in  was 
specially  di>tin},'ui^lied  as  an  exixmeiit  of  historical  and  con- 
structive theoloiry.  Solidity  and  dei)th  of  thoni;ht  were  as 
al»>eiit  as  niii-~i\e  and  inspiring.'  ehxpience,  or  as  the  j;encr- 
ou>  I  ulture  \' liicli  coulil  appreciate  the  ln-t  in  other  eom- 
miniions.  When  they  proi-eeded  to  accuse  the  common 
xiufc  c  from  which  all  :dikc  derived,  l>y  asseveratinj;  th.it  there 

'  N«'»iii:iii  :    ■   l.|(';i  III  :i  I '  ni\  i'r>it  \  "  ■    p.  Jll. 


JOHN    IIKNItY    NKW.MAN' 


.Via 


\vfr«'  >jri«'\ons  irmrs  hikI  >trii(tiiral  defect^  in  I'mtt-staiiti^iii, 
ami  that  tlic  lit'fnnnatioii  was  liv  no  nuari^  as  imiu'ccalilr 
ill  priiiciplf  or  prai  tiif  as  wiis  ^'tiitraliy  siippoM-d,  tlicv  not 
only  slio<kt<l  tlu'  snisiliilitics  of  tiios*-  ft'llow-conntn  iiu'ii  who 
liail  lonj:  iiMtkctl  upon  the  Papacy  with  iininitipitcil  n version. 
hut  also  aroused  tin  ir  p<  rinaneiit  di-lni^t.  The  further 
stateiiK  nt  that  the  I'.stalilishineiit  had  iiiaii.v  features  in 
eoniinon  with  those  ( 'liur<lies  which  re--ted  their  claims  on 
a|)ost(ili"-  succession  evoked  an  indiniiant  ciudlenjre  from  men 
of  div(T^;eiit  views,  who  charijed  tlie  'iVattarian^  with  lieiiij; 
plilty  of  intellectual  immorality. 

rndoul)tedly  then-  were  aiiioni;  them  spirit-  as  pure  and 
devoted  to  truth  as  any  wIim  have  wroii;;ht  in  the  arid 
region  of  religious  j)oleiiiies.  Hut  some  l<etray»d  a  di-- 
eided  tendency  towards  decorated  lanu'iiaue,  \\ord-ju>it,'lin)r, 
and  hepiilinn  sopliistry.  a  sort  of  verlial  craft  which  was  a 
jMH)r  suhstitute  for  direct  siu'ech.  They  approa<hed  their 
unusual  theories  with  the  vanity  of  inexperience  and  laid 
upon  them  l)urilen-<  they  could  not  sustain.  An  iiiimovalih- 
preference  for  reality,  at  wliate\t'r  co>t,  wa-  hard  to  main- 
tain in  an  environment  a>;itate<l  hy  disputes  and  full 
of  \\«ll-iii;:h  reckless  anxiety  for  caiiso  which  had  now 
become  sacred.  It  was  easy  to  >iic<  iiinl>  to  the  insidious 
temptation  that  truth  was  not  snllicieiit  for  its  own  de- 
tciise,  hut  must  also  he  sersi-d  hy  other  weapons  in- 
ferior to  its  siiij;le  twtM'd^'ed  sword.  The  dreadful  tan};le 
«)f  economies  and  reserves;  the  cMiieric  interpretations  of 
phrases  the  import  of  which  seemed  nhvioii^  enoU);h  ;  the 
chTicalism  which  read  into  the  .Articles  and  Kuhrics  a  iiiean- 
iiij;  diametrically  opposed  tn  the  common  api)reheiisioii. 
irritated  tlio>e  who  had  taken  .\n;;licani>in  on  their  own 
terms,  and  were  hafflcd  h\  this  jiiiitile  of  l)e<;iiinin^'s  and 
developments,  .\fter  makiiif,'  e\»ry  allowance  for  the  hias 
which  deflected  the  compa^--  of  even  experienced  mariners 
i'  thcM-  stormy  seas,  and  for  the  in>iilar  prejudices  which 
jrfevailed  amoiii;  nearly  all  classes,  it  inu>t  he  admitted  that 


lil 


i! 
IS 


if  -i 


f . 


J'  N 


524     THUEK    UKMdIOUS   LKADKRS  OF  OXFORD 


h  ! 


'.  i< 


'■'• 


i    1 


1:,  ^  '■ 


■il 


il 


tlif  N«'(»-,\iinli<aiis  ili<l  iiiif  set  an  rxainpic  of  iiitcllntiml 
iiitc^'ritv  >ii<!  ■•>  |)i»t»rity  ^liotilil  i-iiitilatr.  Tlnir  aiitaR- 
oiiist>.  al-i>  tVII  iiiitltT  till-  siinr  nproaih.  Tin-  Kvanp'licals 
wvrv  nmri'  intent  on  (lifcnilinn  ''"'ir  t^•a(■llin^.'  an<l  uikIit- 
ininin);  tlu>  po>iti<in  nf  tlair  atlvcrsirit-s  than  upon  ilctcr- 
niiniri^'  witli  niK-n  niiiuU  what  of  -<nl)>tan(r  hiy  l>«-hin<l  tla-sc 
wTan>;linn>.  Aninnn  hlxTal  (  luinhnirn,  Maurice,  while 
more  truly  ratholie,  was  scarci-lN  le»  sulttle  aixl  niystieal 
then  Newman  ami  Kehle.  If  tlu'  latter  wt-re  driv en  to  doulit- 
fiil  exiMiJients  of  serlial  leKenleriiain  in  the  task  of  develo  , 
An^'liean  unitv  out  of  the  few  explicit  and  the  man'  iim- 
poseilly  implicit  Human  eUinents  of  the  Kstahli  ac, 
Maurice  was  ciiually  at  fault  in  lalmrinj;  apiiiist  re  .  ;  I 
facts  to  recoM<ile  these  «Iemeiits  in  a  coinm'  i  ,  i  i. 
Low  Churchmen  enlightened  nothiii);.  hut  add<'     '■  i  r  •• 

and  unfathomalile  confusion  l)y  twisting  ami  t     '    ri  .j   '  . 
phraseolo>;y  of  the  Articles  in  order  to  wrinj;  .  t'       i   d 

their  own  d<-finito  and  severe  Protestantism. 

Far  more  potent  than  the  Tracts  in  drawin>r  s.vinpal.., 
ami  support  to  the  Oxford  Movement  were  Newman' 
mons  at  St.  Mary's,  in  which  the  preacher  cast  the  ^|. 
of  his  fastidious  diction,  psychological  skill,  and  spiritual 
infJuence  o.er  his  followers,  led  upward  l»y  him  on  a  p»ldcn 
stairway  of  secjuences  to  powerful  climaxes.  Paradoxically 
enough,  they  tau>;ht  that  religion  is  a  life  of  pure  inward- 
ness, while  they  associated  its  expression  with  veneraMe 
forms  which  were  sanctioned  and  guarded  hy  an  infallihie 
Church.  Without  the  sermons,  says  Dean  Church,  "the 
Movement  might  never  have  gone  on,  certainly  would 
never  have  hecn  what  it  was."  The  living  voice  of  an  ir- 
resistible personality  drove  hotm-  the  meanings  aiid  implica- 
tions of  the  Tracts.  It  created  the  atmosphere  in  which 
their  statements  hccaine  incunil)ent  upon  all  who  were  sus- 
ceptible to  the  appeals  of  this  type  of  .\nglicanism. 

The  local  ami   personal  heginnings  of  the   High   Church 
reaction  antedate  the  appeararKt-  of  the  Tracts  hy  nearly 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWMAN 


525 


two  (iccailrs  lunlrr  a>|M'<ts,  liovvcv  »t.  w  hirli,  m»  far  as  N'cwnian 
Is  codccriuMl,  were  \ cry  diirin-iit  fn.m  tlioM-  of  siil>M'»|uciit 
iK'Vflopiiiciits.  'l'liirt«cT>  i-ars  iM-forc  the  'I'rads  won- ail- 
vrrtiscil,  Nfwniaii  «lcfn.  ..d  tin-  Kvaiij;tli(  al  ^i.lc  in  a  r(.iitrt>- 
vtTsy  on  Imptistiial  rcKciuratioii,  ami  in  Is.S  I'umv  ar- 
coimtcil  for  till-  cxtravapmcfs  of  (;«riiiaM  HationaliMii  on 
the  uronnd  of  tlic  int<tltral»lc  ortliiM|o\y  of  Liitluranisni. 
FI«'  Wflconifd  tin-  aid  of  Kant  and  Sclicllin;;  in  Ix-lialf  of  a 
hiiihvr  faitli.  ^avt-  >;rcat  praise  to  Sclilriernia.  her,  reeo^,Miiz«-d 
Df  Wette's  j;ennine  (  hri^tianity.  and  deM  rilted  tUv  uniHn 
mhiisU-riitlis  the  efficacy  of  the  Sac  rarnents  and  o(Ii<cs, 
thouK'li  administered  liy  evil  men  a>  an  ahsurd  and 
pernicious  fi.tion.  "  I'or  a  while,"  oImtvcs  Dr.  Martirieaii, 
"it   seena-d   donlitful   which   of  the   two  paths   the  Oxford 

Ili^h  Church   was  to  tak( (Jermanisin  or   liomanism    - 

theolo>;ical  ailvanee  or  ecclesiastical  retriii;res>ion."  '  New- 
man supplied  an  «-\planation  for  thi^  remark  Wn.n  he  said 
that  "the  same  |)hilosophical  elements  lead  one  mind  to 
the  Church  of  Home;  another  to  what,  for  want  of  a  l.«'tter 
word,  may  he  calleii  (Jermanism.  ' -'  In  |sj<,».  Dr.  I'usey 
had  supported  Catholic  Kman<  ipation  and  Sir  Uohert  Teel's 
unsuccessful  candiilature  as  memlier  of  Parliament  for 
Oxford  I  niversity.  Newman,  as  we  have  seen,  oi)posed 
both,  and  voted  with  the  most  pronounced  partisans  of  the 
Protestant  fact'  »n.  Foile.1  in  these  earlier  etVorts,  the  two 
leaders  were  now  imited,  only  to  he  separated  later.  The 
<lev()ted  .\nKlicaii.  who  stood  unsheltered  to  the  end.  aial 
whose  steadfastness  prohahly  saved  the  Cinirch  from  schism 
after  Newman's  withilrawal.  came  over  from  the  camp  of 
Liheralism ;  tiie  future  Roman  prince  from  that  of  the 
Oranjiemen.  P-.isey,  like  Kel.le,  hrouyht  to  the  Trac- 
tarians  a  type  of  CJiurchmansiiip  which  he  derived  throu>;h 
his  parental  trainiiif;  from  IMshop  Ken.  Hohert  Nelson,  and 
i  Non-Jurors.     Mis  mind   was  formed   hefore   Kvolution 


'  Ivs.-iuys,  UcvicHs  and  AiMn-isrs"  ;    \o|    I.  p.  j:{0, 
'Rssuy  nil  thi'  I)fVfli)|itiu'iit  of  Clui^liaii  Diniriiu' 


p.  71. 


H  'I 


If' 


I 


A' 


:  V- 


f  -t  t 


i< 


VI 


I   !    p 


ll 


\  <[ 


i  \ 


I  i 


'  \ 


■  i 


h  '■■ 


t 


ihW   t 


.Viti      THUKK    KKMC.lors    I.KADIOHS   <»K   OXKOUD 

and  Dovi'lopinciit  liinl  Ih-cdmu-  tin-  liornial  chamu'ls  of 
thou>;ht.  ami  lii>  Iar;;f  ami  systoinati  •  U-aniiii);  is  now  out 
of  «latr.  It  was  tlitii  cnlistj-d  in  lu-lialf  of  tin-  fal)ric  hv  con- 
structi'tl  out  ()f  aiialo>;ifs,  rrsfinl)lanccs,  and  ini'taphors, 
obtained  from  Hihiiial,  iiistoricai.  an  I  !t'},'»Mjdary  sources, 
.some  of  wiiicii  liave  no  value  and  abound  in  fanciful  flights 
and  barren  injrenuities.  Any  atteini)t  to  disparajie  these 
was  s«'t  down  a>  indicatiiiir  a  want  of  piety  and  an  unteacli- 
able  and  rebellinus  nature.  'I'lie  li^dit  inseparable  from 
the  life  of  relitrion,  and  which  is  the  constant  outpourinj: 
of  the  S|)irit  of  (lod  ami  of  lloly  Scripture,  was  feared  by 
those  who,  like  I'nsey,  declared  that  faith  depended  on 
authority,  not  on  reason,  and  that  the  faculty  of  thinkinj; 
and  conceiving;  was  detrimental  to  the  spiritualities  within 
men.  The  understanding.'  became  a  <lrud;;e  to  what  was 
described  as  the  conscience,  but  was  in  many  instances 
the  unlicen>ed  use  of  ima>;iiiation  to  sustain  theoretical 
speculations  u])on  apostolical  succession  and  its  >acerdotal 
secpUMices.  Kctlection  was  coiidennieil  as  inimical  toOlx'di- 
eiice,  and  thu>  the  i)alance  of  reaM)n  and  faith  was  disturbed 
l)y  arbitrary  oi)inions. 

Tusey's  accession  to  the  Oxford  Movement  pive  it  con- 
siderable imi)etus.  The  second  son  of  I'hilip  I'usey,  and 
grandson  of  l.ord  Folki-^tonc.  a  fellow  of  Oriel,  a  (lerman 
scholar,  an  Orientali>t.  anti  l!cj:ius  Trofe^or  of  Hebrew  at 
Oxford,  hi-  had  a  ^tandini;  and  diirnity  in  the  I'liiversitx 
which  no  other  Tractarian  could  then  claim.  Newman  callcil 
him  "o  Mt'7<i>'"  and  dwelt  with  joyful  gratitude  upon  the 
imme/i.-e  dili^'crice  and  >iinple  devotion  of  the  welcome  n  - 
emit.  "Witliout  him  we  should  have  had  little  chance 
especiall\  a;  the  early  date  of  ls;;i,  of  making  any  serioii, 
re>i>tan(c  to  the  laberal  aggrc>:-ion  .  .  .  he  was  able  ti> 
>;ive  a  name,  a  form  and  a  |)er^oiialit>  to  what  was  wilhniii 
him  a  sort  of  mob."  '  No  man  of  his  age  exceeded  him  in 
hi>  devotion  to  duty,  which,  a>  he  conceived  it,  was  to  >prc;i.| 

'  ■■  Aiw.loi;!:,"  :    |>|..  ill -f.J. 


JOHN'    IIKXKY    NKWMAN 


627 


among  riiurchmen  tin-  conviction  that  only  on  the  doctrines 
of  the  Fathers  and  the  early  Annhcans  could  riiristiaiiity  he 
based.  "My  life,"  he  >ays  of  hiniM-lf,  "lia>  luen  >|H'iit  in 
a  succession  of  insulated  efVorts  luariii;;  indeed  upon  one 
great  end  —  the  growtli  of  catholic  trntii  and  piety  among 
us."  llis  influence  for  a  time  was  overwhelming,  as  evi- 
denced alike  hy  tile  praises  of  his  adherents  and  the 
aspersions  of  his  opponents.  It  caiuiot  he  ascribed  pri- 
marily to  his  enduring  courage,  \n>  exhaustive  research,  or 
his  sturdy  blows  against  inditVerentisni,  dci^in,  and  ultra- 
Protestantism.  First  and  foremost,  he  was  a  true  saint  and 
minister,  wiiose  pronounced  defects  were  oll'set  by  a  thor- 
oughly original  and  consecrated  ciiaracter.  Those  who 
judged  him  by  his  morbidness,  hi--  rcniorsc,  his  jx-nances, 
his  impolitic  utterances  and  abortive  elTorts,  or  in  the  light 
of  their  sincere  dislike  of  the  pra(  tico  he  inaugurated  and 
the  ordinances  and  means  of  grace  he  rc>torc<l,  were  not 
always  aware  that  the  unl)ending  eccloiastic,  incessant 
disj)Utant,  and  High  rhurchmaii  J'tirilr  jiriinrjtn,  had  a 
charity  toward  his  critics  wiiich  begot  in  liitn  a  patience  and 
a  hopefulness  that  ncxcr  flagged,  lie  once  c\(  laimeil,  in  a 
burst  of  tenderness,  "1  iiaxcalway-  had  a  great  lovffor  the 
Evangelicals."  Not  many  Kvangelical^  of  that  day  could 
have  .sail'  the  sune  about  !'ii>cy,  lie  ^tai:d>  out.  even  in 
Newman's  company,  a^  an  inijirt --i\i'  figure,  strong,  rugged, 
awkward,  indomitable.  If  his  >t\ic  liml  none  of  tlie  grace 
and  allurement  which  were  i)roniiiicnt  in  Newman's  prose, 
his  nature  disclosed  a  pa^^ion  fiT  liuliiic.--,  that  tempered 
the  hanlness,  as  of  iron,  witli  whii  li  lie  repelled  the  dont)ter 
and  the  heretic  Tlicre  wa^  nutliing  liarinniiinu-  or  artistic 
in  his  make-iij),  and  while  he  defciuhd  lii-  se<tii>n  of  the 
("hurcli  with  great  ability,  the  foes  he  encountered  were 
largely  iniaginar\ ,  -n  that  lie  iicmt  really  fiued  tiic  forces  of 
essential  agnosticism.  Ibit  lie  wa-  -in<ereaiid  ^iiiglc-nnnded 
in  his  refusal  to  accuniniudate  tlie  iMTiile\itie>  nf  religion 
for  the  juke  of  lliost-  wiio  >ought  rehef  therefrom  by  a  pri>- 


1.4 

■l  .1 


,  i  1 


ll 


f!^ 


.VJS     TIIHKK    l{KLI<;i()IS    I.KADKKS    *»|'    (»\K<»1{|) 


;i 


i  11 


!l! 


COS  of  -iiiiplitirjition.  ,inil  lie  •l(|>|(ir<'il  tlic  utilization  of 
s|)iritii;il  iii-tiiiits  or  institution-  lor  tli<  licncfit  of  tin-  pn- 
\iiilini;  -i.rijii  order  or  to  -crvi'  the  l:i;r>;cil  uioikU  anil  ja«lc<l 
t('inp<'r-~  of   -criilar   mind-  It    x-ciu-    to   he   tliounlit    that 

those  who  have  faith  nia\  aLvay^  he  -.lerifieed  with  impunity 
to  those  who  liave  none,"  he  wrote  when  Arehl)ish()p  Tait 
-liowed  -ynipathv  with  the  t'll'ort  to  rid  the  Prayer  liook  of 
the  Athanasian  (reed.  'I'lu  ;.'ho-t-  of  the  |)ast  wen-  his 
fond  care,  and  lii-  iiioi;ra|>h\  is  full  to  re|iletion  of  the  his- 
tory' of  skirnii-hes  in  their  liehalf,  inan_\  of  whieli  have  lotif; 
since  di-appcared  i'cfore  the  advance  of  suhstantial  and 
dan;:eron--  eneinic-  of  rc|i|,'ion,  Believing,  a-  he  did,  that 
there  wa>  an  ade(|nate  ohjcctivc  correspondence  for  every 
fac-ilt\  of  the  Mini  and  that  to  di-rej,'artl  the  law  which 
3>\  nu'il  their  relation-  atVorded  irround  for  wholesome 
iire;'d  of  retril)Utiiin,  he  -omctimcs  e\|)ounde<l  this  article 
in  tiTnis  whi(  h  -ounded  har-li  and  inhuman,  ^'ct  he  was  4 
man  of  heart,  pitifu'  toward  the  -inner  who  wa-  repentant 
and  su!)missi\c.  And  for  tlw  rhurch  at  larp'  he  was  a 
defi-mler  of  trailition-  whirh  he  identilied  with  all  that 
was  sacred  or  -al\ator.\'.  No  inattiT  to  what  -ect  or  creed 
such  leader-  hclonu.  <>r  how  widely  and  .justly  wi-  differ 
from  them,  they  u-ually  transcend  their  Imuiidaries  and 
liel|i  to  illuminate  ihc  life  we  li\i'.  I'uscv  doe-  not  stand 
ai  louL'  the  immortal-,  hut  he  had  felt  the  -|)irit  (pf  the  lli^'h- 
est,  and  was  one  of  those  who 

"(':Hini>t  ciiiifonnrl,  ii(ir  iloiiiit  ilim,  imr  tlciiy  ;" 

who  are  ever  ready  to  avcr, 

"N'c'ii.  willi  Dill-  \iiicc.  Oh  Wiirliil   lliiMii,'ti  ill. Ml  di'iiii'st, 
.'^tiiiiil  tlidii  ijii  tli:il  -nlc,  inr  on  thi-  am  I.  ' 


ih 


II 

The  'Tractarians  disturhed  tiie  .-tannaniN  of  Aiij:li<  anisui. 
and  contradicted  the  pre\ ailing'  notion  that  the  Church  "f 


r  I 


i  & ' 


i(H 


lOIIN     IIKXKN     NKWM.W 


520 


Hii>;l:iml  \v;is  a>  si<Ti>-.imci  .1^  tl'.r  IIoii-»  nl'  (  iiiiimi>ii-.  The 
works  of  iliviiic-i  oi'  tin-  |),iliii,\  ^-fiiiirt  il;i>>  wtTf  nx  ut'ii  from 
(|ii>t.v  liookslithc-,  aIiiI.  ho-of  I'alrv  ,  llnr--h'.\,  lloadlcv, 
and  Warlnirti'ii  unit  a-l»  ^uint;-  II"'  Ira'h  '■-  of  tlic  cult 
kiu'U  rxactlv  what  they  wiiiit<'il.  and  in  tliat  kiiowh'iluc 
lax  thfir  -trfiii;tli.  Oiitwanlly  (1(  ttTniti:il  ti>  tlir  t'pi^copacv . 
Kchic  and  I'n-cv  and  I'nmdi  wcrr  at  hcari  r  'm  inorr  ni- 
dfjM'ndi'nt  than  Nrwniaii ;  Ui-  tni-ttd  tlir  l)i-h.;i-.  tlif\ 
dcpi'ndt  d  uii  till-  (ir;.'ani/ati.iii.  All  tix.,.  ilitir  ~t:ind  u|)om 
aii!i<iiiit  ■■  and  were  cmt  n  :id\  ti)  ui\r  na-nn-  t'T  tlir  hopf 
that  \\a^  in  tln'in,  tn  define  and  ad\<".ite  their  [Hi-iMnn. 
'I'lif  Kvaii;;elieaK  inid  eonn'  i"  the  end  '•:  liuir  tether,  the 
l5road  (  iinrehnien  wire  di\  ided  in  -inlini>  n!  and  <  irciiiii- 
>tanee>.  \Vliatel>  liad  nlir-'d  tu  the  .  ..iniurativ  e  M'cln^ion 
of  arehiepiM'opai  dii:n:t>  .  'i'l  iri"  di  \\a-  \>'f  |ihil"-o|)liieal  fi>r 
ilif  n>■eci•^  of  f.ietion,  Arnold-  iiii|ietiio-it>  niarn  d  hi-  hmIiiI- 
ne>s,  llanipiien  wa-  laiiurN.ii-  and  lUHituth  The  'I'rae- 
tarians  held  the  tield  at  Oxford,  the  eenier  .'t  tin-  -trife,  and 
■-liared  the  intere-t  of  onhvoker-  with  tiir  1  tililarian^  and 
Uoinanti'  !>.  'i'iie  -troii-,  d,ini,_  -Ii'-iim  -  ..I'  their  o|iiinon- 
\\a>  in  >ini:iil.ir  contract  to  tlie  1  (.injn'  .d  n n  i-iie--  and  -ini- 
mi--ion  of  tiM  ir  hearinu'  >'ali  in.M  -ci.iiti-t-.  and  hierary 
people,  a-  well  a>  '"ppn^in;:  (  h  rii  -,  1m.;:iii  !■■  .1  L  what  the^e 
things  meant.  No  .n,in  ainonu  ilie  e.irher  and  ui-er  I  rae- 
titriaii>  wa-  better  alile  to  ai  wer  ih<'  qui -tion  ihan  llui;h 
•laiiie-'  l{o>e.  at  wIiom-  lladleiLdi  reetor>  tht  Movement 
had  heen  initiated  I'.ir  1  tieie  lie  ranked  forenio-t  anionc 
the  imivfr>it  don-  and  pari-li  lira  -1-  win.,  like  him,  eon- 
tended  for  the  spiritual  --nijrein,!!  y  >if  tin  1  hnrdi  and  the 
restoration  ot  certain  nsiiir-  whiili  Inel  i,.nie  !>•  the  \erj;e 
of   extinction       Hi-    powerful    mind    n  ,idil>    adi.j>ted    e\ery 

mean-  of  infonnaU th  r,  d   '■>  it     and   hi-  eani>  -i   ili-|io>i- 

tion  commend,  d  him  to  In-.  .Mnip.inion  .  who  .  ntcrtained 
the  liveliest  1  xpe.  tatioii -  lor  hi-  fnlnrc  Without  a  tr.iee 
.if  -elf— eekiii;^.  he  ro-e  t.i  an  linii-nal  place  ill  tin  retard 
of    the(linr(ii    a      ,.   whol.'      'i'lie    (Icrman    drift    of    I'rot- 

_'  M 


530     THUKK    KKLIGIOUS   LEADERS   OF   OXFORD 


1   I 


! 


fstatitism  at  (amhridjn-  aroused  his  viporoiis  objections, 
and  as  a  Kradiiatt-  of  the  I  tiix crsitx ,  and  a  Select  Preacher 
there,  he  endeavored  toarrot  the  rava;;esof  what  he  deemed 
a  false  liher;di>m.  Vn-^i-y  rephed  to  tlie  strictures  of  Hose 
ill  two  \(ihiiiie>,  afterwards  withdrawn  from  circuhition, 
ill  wiiieh,  as  we  ha\f  miii.  he  defended  and  exphiiiied  con- 
tinental rationalisin.  Aiiioiij;  Newinan's  eorn-sjiondents, 
|{o>e  alone  aeied  a>  lii->  horn  e((ii;il,  an  assumption  which 
Newman  allowed  witlmt't  deiniir,  l)elie\iii):  him  to  he  the 
one  ali()\e  all  others  lifst  fitted  to  iiiiike  headway  against  the 
difficulties  of  tliiir  d,i\  .  His  cool  and  cautious  judjrmcnt 
and  liis  ( iHifidcntial  relation-,  with  the  lii;;lier  e<'clesiastical 
aiitli  )rities  |)rc\(iitci|  liiiii  fnnii  niniiiii:.'-  with  the  root  and 
hraiich  TractMriaiis.  „,  thai  IroiidesiMni  lost  f;iitli  in  him  as 
a  possihie  leader.  I!ut  In-,  death  at  the  a^''  of  forty-three 
was  a  heavy  Mow  ti>  those  who  were  averse  to  ill-considered 
and  extreme  action.  I'or  some  time  hefore  his  decease  he 
had  oiil\  a  snuill  purt  in  tlic  affairs  of  'rractariaiiisin,  yet  had 
he  li\cd,  its  course  miLdit  lia\f  heen  very  dill'ercnt. 

Newman's  \crdict  that  Williuni  Palmer  was  the  one 
thorout;lil\  e  |iii|)i)ed  s.-liolar  anion;:  lli^di  An^'licaiis  was 
well  within  the  mark.  His  l>elicfs  were  alily  e\i)ouii<led  in 
his  "Treatise  on  the  (hiircli  of  Christ,"  which  has  liceii 
cherished  as  the  most  powerful  and  least  assailalile  defense 
of  Anglicanism  from  the  sixteenth  century  onward.  Kome- 
ward  inclinations  never  affected  Palmer,  whose  study  of 
Hellarmiiie.  15ossUi>t,  and  other  Catholic  doctors  cnahlcd 
him  to  detect  and  disavow  the  methods  and  ideas  which 
allured  sonie  of  his  friends.  lie  identified  tlic  fortunes  of 
his  Churdi  with  those  of  the  State,  and  wa>  persiiadeil  that 
hotli  had  slink  to  their  lowest  clili.  A  communion  entirely 
separateil  from  the  Papacy  on  the  one  frontier  and  from 
i'uritanisiii  on  the  other,  with  its  own  inherent  life  and 
ministry  of  urace,  was  his  ideal,  and  he  deplored  the  ajiathv 
and  (oldiicss  of  the  |)ul(lic  min<l  toward  it.  Another  clc(  t 
-pirit  was  Kohert  Isaac  Willierforce,  the  second  sun  of  the 


JOHN    IIK>:in     NKWMAX 


531 


well-known  pliilantliropi>t.  WiilMTforcc  lost  ((intact  with 
Newman  after  tlieir  dismissal  from  tlic  joiiit-tntorsliip  at 
Oriel,  l)Ut  in  ISJ:!  he  formnl  a  fricndsliip  witli  Iliiiry  Man- 
ninft,  then  rector  of  l,aviiij;ton  and  arciidcacon  of  Cliicliester. 
The  amiahle  character,  innate  niodoty,  and  accurate  sense 
of  right  and  \\ron>;  of  Wilhcrforcc  were  jiri/cd  l>y  his  fellow 
Tractarians,  and  es|)ecially  hy  Manning;,  who  afterwards 
turned  to  iiini  as  to  a  father  confessor  for  relief  concern- 
in};  his  niis);i\  ings  al)out  tlie  validity  of  An^rlicanisin. 
The  (Jorh.im  Judgment  of  !>>.")().  whicli  denied  tliat  the  re- 
Keneratin;;  f;race  of  Infant  Uapti^m  was  a  nc( cssary  dojjma 
of  the  Church  of  Mngland,  ,ind  ratified  her  >nl)jection  to 
State  control  even  in  so  cardinal  a  doctrine,  added  ^'all  to 
the  bitterness  Mannini.'  and  Wilhcrforce  alread;.  felt.  On 
April  S,  1S.')1,  tlu-  former  was  rcdixci!  into  the  Catholic 
fold,  and  three  years  later,  Wilherfonc  fnllowtd  him,  hut 
(lid  not  \oufi  snr\i\c  his  accession.  While  journey ini;  to 
Rome  in  1S.')7  to  receivf  ordination,  death  dejirixcd  those 
who  loved  and  trusted  him  of  an  inifailiii!,'  helper,  iiicajiahle 
of  unworthy  motives;  one  who  shone  in  maii.s  directions 
with  a  steady  if  sulxlueil  radiance.  lie  wa-  the  recij)ient  of 
the  conHdeneesof  parti>ans  who-c  miTit>  he  wa>  well  (pialified 
to  determine,  and  he  left  them  an  example  of  intellectual 
rectitude  they  did  not  alwa\s  sedulously  imitate. 

In  these  and  other  respects  CharK  ■-  Marriott,  "the  man 
of  saintly  life,"  was  much  akin  to  Willierfon c.  To  Mar- 
riott the  Oxford  >tudents  repaired  for  >piritual  direction 
after  Newman  had  departed.  Hi>  de\otion  to  Chri>t,  to 
His  Church,  and  to  the  Movement.  wa>  witiioiit  .-tint.  No 
other  more  completely  -a(  riticed  him-elf,  fop  he  placed  upon 
the  altar  of  hi-  otferinn  all  that  he  wa-  and  all  tliat  he  had. 
I  >ean  Hurgon  -tate-,  in  his  "l,i\fs  of  TweKc  (iood  Men," 
that  MarriottV  prevailiiij:  frrace  was  an  niihounded  charity, 
which  niini-tercd  to  tlm^c  who  -;it  in  darkra'-s  anil  in 
the  -liadow  of  death,  and  ciiahlcd  him  to  see  the  };o(m| 
in    everythint;    and    cveryhody.      Halting'    to    eccentricity 


■  J 


'hV2      TIIUKK    KKI.KilOl  S    LKADKKS    OK    OXFOKO 


■  i: 


ill  iiiiiiiiHT  mill  ('nii\(T-<iitii>ii.  ii('\'i'rtlirlr>-<  Ih'  usually  l>r<iUKlit 
cult  the  (lire  iif  niiitftr^  !it  ■<t:ikc,  iiinl  lii>  iliscoiirsc,  tli(>n>;li 
>iiiiit\.  wii-.  iinl'.'iiliii^'lv  iii>tniiti\<-.  \lr  was  so  aNcrst-  fi> 
pulilicit.v  lliat  lii->  litirary  lalmrs  were  not  always  as  widely 
know  II  as  tlii>-c(if  dtliiT  writiTs  whn  ilc|)ciiilr<l  mi  liis  assi^t- 
aiic*'.  aiiil  I'li^ry  callctl  attention  to  tlic  fact  tliat  Marriott 
liaii  fiitire  cliari^'f  for  some  yi'ar>  of  "'riic  iaiirary  of  the 
Katlirr-.  "  To  the  la>t  lie  wa^  iiiiwilliii;;  to  admit  that 
Koine  liail  captured  Newman.  Wlieii  tiii>  could  no  loiijjer 
l)e  ileiiieii  lie  remained  >teadfa>t  and  >|HMit  the  halance  of 
his  lirief  jierioil  and  eiifeelded  pli\>ieal  strength  in  fiatheriiit; 
ii|>  the  tliiiii;s  that  remained.  Amid  the  panic  that  followed 
Newman'  conversion  no  man,  except  James  \i.  Mozley,  did 
more  to  allay  the  fears  and  ^tem  the  fli^dit  of  tliox-  who 
Iti'lieved  that  Newman  could  do  no  wronj;.  Marriott  could 
not  draw  larue  coiii;rei;ation'^ ;  he  did  not  leaxe  heliind  liiiii 
wurks  of  Renins;  he  enjoyed  few  of  the  pleasures  or  e\<'ii  the 
necessities  that  are  fouml  in  other  fields  of  enterprise.  lie 
lahored  day  and  nitriit  in  the  search  and  defense  oi'  di\iiie 
truth.'  His  reward  was  with  him.  in  that  ho  distilled  upon 
the  heated  air  of  controversy  the  refrt-shinj;  fra>rraiict'  of 
simple  jioodness,  unshaken  hope,  and  lo\t'  without  reproach. 
Isaac  Williams,  a  fittiiii;  conii)anion  for  Wilherforce  ami 
Marriott,  was  the  son  of  a  Welsh  lawyer  and  laiKlowner. 
ami  a  ;:raduate  of  Trinity  ( 'olle;;e,  Oxford.  Me  formed  lii~ 
friendships  at  Oriel,  and  after  he  had  w(tii  the  ('hancellor- 
prize  for  Latin  \erse,  came  under  tlic  direction  of  Kehle, 
who  looked  u|ion  him  and  llolicrt  WillxTforce  and  Ilurrell 
I'roiide  as  his  special  pupil-.  .Mtlioujjh  accustomed  tn 
lean  on  others  for  support,  Williams  had  a  will  of  his  own, 
and  on  occjision  did  imt  hesitate  to  assert  himself.  Ih 
acted  as  New  man's  i  urate  .it  ."^t.  Mary's,  and  afterward- 
L'a\e  this  impression  of  iii^  xicar:  "1  was  icreatly  delij^htcil 
.'iiid  ( lianmd  with  Ncnmu;!!!,  who  was  extremely  kiinl 
to   me,    hut    I    did    not    aiio^cther  trust    his  opinions;    ami 

'   •ri[..llM-   M../.!.'\  l{rMiilil-.rli,,..s"  ;     V,  .|     |,,,     44S 


'    I 


■I    , 


^*'J3!    ' 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWMAN 


r^^a 


thouKh  Froudf  was  in  tlif  lialtit  i)f  >tatiii(,'  thiii;;s  in  an  ox- 
tremo  and  paradoxical  way,  yet  dih-  al\\a\-^  tVIt  coii^cious 
of  a  uroiuul  i>f  entire  ((tnliileiici'  ami  aiirecnient  :  l)nt  it  was 
not  so  with  Newman,  even  tlinu^ili  one  appean'ii  more  in 
unison  witli  h\>  more  nuMJerate  vie\\>."  Tlie  magician 
ultimately  prevailed,  and  the  Trart>  Ml,  N(i,  and  S7  were 
written  l>y  Williams.  It  was  the  hard  fate  of  thi-i 
unso|)hi>ti(ated  man  that  the  (ir-t  nf  tiuM',  whicli  dealt 
with  "  Ueserve  in  ( 'oinnniiiicatinu  Kelii;ioM>  Kiiowli'dp'," 
hrou>;lit  upon  its  author  a  erM>hiii);  reliuke.  The  title  was 
misleading  heeaiiM'  it  seemed  to  ju-^tif\  the  (  har;;e  that  the 
Traetarian^  wer«'  t'\asi\c  in  their  method-,  l>iit  the  con- 
tents offered  no  aderpiate  cauM-  ft>r  the  complaint .  Mi>hop 
Monk  of  Cdoucoter  ua^  oldi^'ed  to  admit  that  he  had  con- 
demned the  Tract  without  knowini;  it>  ar^'iinicnt,  and  his 
apolo);y  wa>  -o  ilim>\  that  Tlioma^  Kel.le,  more  nnyieldinj; 
than  his  hrother.  rc-iu'ned  lii^  rural  dcanciy  in  that  ilioce~e, 
and  thus  heiian  theipiarri'l  with  the  l>i-ho|)->.  Tliat  W  illi.iins 
should  ha\e  |)roduccd  an  unfnrtnn;itc  document  which 
unju>tly  exi)o>e<l  him  to  p>>i)nlar  iiidiu'iintion  and  cah.nniy 
was  extremely  distres>in^r  tn  hi-  ;.'uilcic"  nature  He  strove 
to  retrieve  the  error  of  hi-  ill— elc<  ted  tlic-i-,  hut  thi-  wa-< 
heyond  him,  and  the  nuditati\c  inxi  \\\\,>  wa-  rc\ereil  liy 
his  eollej;e  hi>torian  a-  too  iiiMiil  tup  thi-  \'  iirlii.  \\a-  ret;ard','d 
by  the  KvaiiKclical-  a-  the  nio-i  pcriidiMii  ainl  danu'crou- 
member  of  a  wi(  kcil  hand  i>f  cun-iiiratur-  Hi-  triciid  ami 
fellow  tutor.  William  .lohn  (  Opcland,  i  nut, mphitcd  writing' 
a  history  of  the  Movement  in  >shieii  tin  .  p:irtiei]i,itcil,  a 
task  for  wliieh  hi-  wiilc  Mc(|naMit,niee  \utli  it-  -uppi>rtcr- 
and  his  rcti'ntixc  meinor\  eniincntlx  titled  him.  I>nt 
pastoral  duties  lar;:cl>  ali-i>rhed  hi-  eiierme-.  and  until  hi- 
tleath  in  1NN">  he  ua\e  wiiat  tune  lu'  emild  ;itt(ird  to  hi- 
eorrespondence  and  to  the  cditin:;  oi  Ncuinaii  -  '  I'hiin  and 
Parochial. "Sermon-.  <  opeland  .d-iieiiiitrilinti  d  to  tlicTr.n  t  -. 
and  translated  the  "  llomilie-  of  "^t.  .lolm  (  Iir\  -o~ioni  in  •  iie 
Kpistle  to  the  I-'|)he-ian-"  for  tlic  "l.ilir^irN  o!  the  I'ather-." 


■I 

.i 

! 


534      TiritKK    UKI.KMOUS    I.KADKHS   OK   OXFOUD 


I  '> 


If    ! 


It 


I  i 


f^ 


1; 


Im 


Till-  nciural  ( iirniit  <»f  'IViu  tiiriiini^m  mow  h(>>;an  to  Im» 
ns(Trtaiiial)lf.  It  wa^  iiiarkiM!  In-  tlir  risr  of  forces  wliicli 
swept  away  tlic  l>arritT>  Mrrccy  ami  ciiitioii  at  first  had 
(Tccteti :  fdrct^  lull  of  a  new  williiij.MU'ss  am!  strivirip; 
forces  that  threateiieil  to  (li>riii)t  tlie  ildctriiia!  beliefs 
upon  wliicli  recent  iileaN  of  .\n>;lieani>Mi  and  Kotiiaiiisrn 
had  Iteen  foniided,  and  have  since  materially  nuMlified 
these  helief-  and  ideals.  They  took  their  slia|H'  in  refx-ated 
disputes  which  endnred  for  a  decade;  of  small  intrinNic  im- 
portance in  theni-chc^;  with  no  more  than  an  ailventi- 
tion>  interest  deri\ed  from  their  connection  with  the  Oxford 
Movement  and  al-o  with  the  devonrinj;  claims  of  Koine. 
They  were  nsiially  trials  of  >trennth,  enjrineered  now 
l)y  the  Ilijrh  ("iinrchnicn,  now  l>y  their  adversaries,  not 
always  witii  con-'picnous  candor  or  fairness,  nor  fraujtht 
with  any  pwid  for  either  |)arty.  Amongst  these  was 
the  nearly  forijotten  Hampden  controversy,  which  assinned 
ilimensions  ont  of  all  pro|>ortion  to  its  deserts.  Cynics 
and  others  who  were  not  cyni(  al  have  derided  it  as  a 
tempe-t  in  a  tea  cup.  with  no  attraction  except  for  hij;ote«l 
faiiati(s  jind  anti(|uarics.  We  are  not  piin^c  to  weary  the 
reader  w  itli  an  extended  digest  of  ttiis  (juarrel.  Vet  it  sliould 
!)e  said  that  it  furni^iud  the  Tnictarians  with  a  prominent 
ohject  for  their  attack  and  a  coveted  opportunity  to  state 
their  caM-.  They  desired  nothing;  better  than  to  come  to 
conclnsion>,  not  with  ilamptlen,  hut  with  that  for  which  he 
stoiwl,  and  their  |)ent-np  ciicr^ties  were  released  with  alacrity. 
Liberal  (hiirchmeii  were  lii^pisted  by  such  an  iinseeiniv 
di^jtlay  of  Ilij;ii  .\n>;lican  rancor;  Krastians  found  fre>h 
K'uarantees  for  their  as-ertion  that  the  power  of  ai)point- 
ment  to  certain  prefcrinent-<  in  the  Church  and  the  I'niversi- 
ties  wis  excrci-cd  mo>t  justly  wlieii  left  in  the  hands  of  the 
civil  ;ro\crMment.  Ilanipdcn  was  a  >ober,  phMldinp  scholar, 
who  owed  his  clc\,itioii  to  a  combination  of  circumstanic> 
rather  than  to  iii-  talent-  or  -ervico.  lie  had  made  him- 
self obnoxious  to  Ilit;h  I  hurchmen  because  he  subordinateil 


JOHN    HENRY    NKVVMAN 


535 


dogma  to  rrliKious  liberty,  an<l  contrasted  the  iK-nefits  of 
toleration  with  the  evils  of  exi'hisi\(  iiess.  l-'ew,  if  any 
Christians,  he  ass<Tte<l,  were  really  at  ixlils  ;  even  I'nitarians 
and  Anglieans  nii);ht  realize  a  eonunon  fellowship  if  only 
faith  were  no  longer  hain|M'reil  by  its  diMtrinal  forms.  This 
foretaste  of  );enuine  eatholieity  was  a  iH-stiferous  heresy  to 
thos«'  who  eoulil  not  e«>neeiveof  reli>;ion  ex(«'|»t  as  guarded  hy 
etrlesiastieal  nionoi)olies  and  dopuatir  statements.  New- 
man s|M»ke  for  them  when  he  declared  that  lu-  would  not  trust 
himself  to  put  on  pajx'r  his  sentiments  about  IIam|)den's 
principles,  rjxm  the  publication  of  his  lectures  on  .Moral 
Philosophy,  reactionaries  of  all  .\nKlican  schools  combined  to 
silence  him  as  an  anti-Christian  writer  and  a  purveyor  of 
baleful  and  erroneous  opinions.  Inshakcn  and  unterrified, 
he  came  to  urips  with  them  in  Conv(Kation,  where  he  pro- 
pose<l  that  compulsory  subscription  to  the  'riiirty-nine  Arti- 
cles as  the  contlition  of  ailinission  to  the  I'niversity  shoulil 
Im."  abolishwl.  The  pro|)osal  was  overwhelmin^'ly  <lefeated. 
but  it  called  the  attention  of  the  I'rime  Minister,  Lord 
Melbourne,  to  Hampden's  temerity  as  a  liberal  in  i)olities 
and  reliction,  and  Melbourne  determined  to  nominate  hnn 
Uejjius  Professor  of  Divinity  at  Oxford,  llis  decision  pive 
the  disturbance  a  fresh  start  and  a  wider  area,  in  which  the 
fury  of  opiKisition  ran  so  hij;h  tiiat  Hampilcn  considerat»'ly 
offerwl  to  resijin  and  thus  relieve  Melbourne  of  the  (wlium 
attending  his  appointment.  Hut  tliis  the  Premier  would 
not  iK'nnit;  and  when  William  IV,  wlu»  had  been  petitione<l 
by  the  Traetarians  thro\i>,'h  .\rclibishop  Ilowley  not  to 
confirm  the  appointment,  attempted  to  intervene,  his 
outspoken  minister  bluntly  remiiide<l  the  king  that  such 
an  action  wouKI  affect  tlu-  honor  of  the  natioiud  ad- 
ministration and  constitute  an  abuse  of  the  royal 
prerogative.  Quarrels  seliloin  turn  upon  the  point  in 
dispute,  and  this  one  became  a  duel  between  Newman 
and  Pusey  on  the  one  side  and  .Vniold  and  .\rchbishop 
WTiatelv    on    the    other.      Newman    issueil     a    brcmdsiile 


'rj^ 


53(»     TIIUKK    UKLKilors    LKADKItS  OF   <»XK<>l(l) 


i  ! 


«i 'f 


(  I 


I     -      i 


( 


rntitliil  "  Klun<latiiiii>  of  Dr.  IluniiMlcn'H  'riiciilofticnl 
StiittiiHiit-."  in  whicli  <|U()tatioii>  from  his  opiMtncnt's 
liainptitii  lMMtun->  iirul  otlirr  writiiiKs  wort'  so  «)|)«-!ily 
Karlilnl  ami  \vr»'ii(li«-«l  from  tlirir  coiiU-xt  us  to  siiKK»"*t  I  lat 
lie  wlio  wilU  tilt-  t-iiil  \vill>  tlu>  iiu'aii>.  I'list-v  came  to  liin 
ns^i>taii('f  with  a  more  (unriil  |iri->tiitatioii  anil  triticism  of 
Hain|Mhn's  vi(«->.  Arnold  pivi'  tin-  n-ins  to  his  wrath  in 
an  artiilf  on  "'riic  Oxfonl  Malinnant^,"  which  was  piil>li>hi-il 
in  tin-  vohinu'  of  the  r.ilinhiirtjh  Itrrinr  for  \Ki{\.  His 
woril>  lircatlifd  tin-  fitry  imli^'iiation  of  a  w holcMmio  hut 
frM-trat«'<l  rtforimr  wIiom-  Iio|m>  for  thr  IwtttTiniiit  of  tlu* 
Church  wi-rc  rlomlnl  liv  tlic  intrusion  of  the  Tructarians. 
lie  avcrrcil  tliat  Newman  ^  incthiNis  iinplicti  intentional 
•  li^hoiu '^ty,  an<l  Whately  >linniati/,e(l  their  product  us  u 
tissiu-  of  delil)erate  anil  artful  niir^reproentations.  There 
were  not  sufhciiiit  ^round^  for  ini|>Mi.'iiiiiic  Newman's  moral 
intet;rity,l>ut  lii>unih  r->tandinf;^^■l>>uch  tliat  whendisturhed 
by  matter^  he  held  paramount  it  hecame  essentiall>  illogical 
and  in\et<rat(ly  ima^rinalivc  Ui-ason  and  eipiity  wen' 
smothered  Iteneath  tlic  profii>iuii  of  his  liy|M>theses  and 
imaprie^.  and,  as  Sir  .lame-  Stephen  eommentnl,  he 
could  not  do  justice,  cither  to  liinoelf  or  to  his  opiMUients. 
Althoujrh  every  ]K»>^il>ie  inlhience  was  hrou^^ht  to  In-ar, 
nothing'  availed  to  annul  llamiMlcn's  ap|M>intiiu-nt,  and, 
aware  of  this,  the  Kxanplical^  made  <'ommon  caiiM'  with  the 
Hi^h  i'hiir'  linicii  to  jnint  the  wolf  in  sheep's  clothinjj  from 
the  fold.  After  two  atteinpl>  ("onviM-atiou  siicceiihil  in 
deprivin;;  him  of  tlie  ri^ht  to  vote  for  S«'lect  l'rea«'hers, 
and  he  remained  otticiall.v  ccn><ure<l  and  theologically  din- 
creilited  !>>  tiu-  rnivcr^itx  in  which  tin-  Crown  had  chosen 
him  as  the  instructor  in  divinity.  The  p«rsistency  of  his 
ctu-mies  miiiiit  have  led  some  to  su|)pose  that  he  was  aiiy- 
tiiinj;  except  what  he  actuallv  was,  an  t>rtli<Mlox  Chiin-hman, 
alluit  one  >ulfi(  icntly  cnli>;hteni'd  to  ohservc  the  relative 
im|)ortancc  of  life  and  do^ma  ami  to  resp«'ct  the  scruples  of 
the  Nonconl'orinist  *-onscience.     Hut  the  Tractarians  repro- 


iilii 


ft 


V 


JOHN    IIKNUV    \K\\\I.\N 


'hi' 


ImUfl  liiin  Imhiuim"  nf  his  ,tiil\\)trt  I'Mtr^tiiiUisin.  jiikI  tl,  • 
Kviiin;«li<als  <li>|»iirii>{ri!  him  lK-(im->f  hr  r\ttn<h-<|  it  Im-- 
v<iii(l  thoir  (Ttihil  confiiir^.  'i'hc  hiiiiiiliiitiii«  »i>:lit  vwtlM 
with  mithiT  !si!l«- tlu- wiiuMT.  iiiiil  whin  in  IM7  lliini|Mhii 
was  fh'\iit«'<l  to -th»-  M'«'  of  llcrrfnni,  Mitnr  of  his  [mt- 
•Hfiitors  hail  iilrrailx  rrnoiinciil  tlir  (hiinh  hmt  wliich 
they  fornurly  a^suinnl  propriitar\  rinht-..  ami  iii|»artt'i|  to 

HlUIH". 

Thi-    ill-assort II I    union    hrtwcfii    tlir    'rractarians    ami 

the    Kvaiijrrlirals    >|M-iilil>     ili->solMil ;     aninm^itir-.    whirh 

hull    Ik'i'Ii    ti-niporaril\     fornottiii    ilnrin^;    thi>    alinnnnnl 

ri'vivi-il    apiin.      'I'lir     K\aiip-liral-    ftit     tliat    tiny     hail 

<)v«Tshot  tin-  mark,  ami   tin-  jMihlication  of   I'mmli's  "  IN-- 

inains"  in  l.s;5.S  intin^ilii-il  ihiir  <  lla^'^ill.     The  hook  shnl  a 

stroiin  li^ht  on  tin-  worst  asjxits  of  lli^rh  An^rliraniMn,  ar\il 

plac«il   its  li-aih-rs  iimli-r  >;ravi-  s\i>pi(ion   lonnrninK'  thiir 

inotivi     ami  ohji-rts.     'I  hi-  Moviimiit   i)ii;aii  to  mronntir 

a  jKjwtT  whiih  coulil  Iw  nuitrlnil  i\iii  with  that  of  HoiiU' 

luTM'lf:     till-    I'roti'stant    rharartir   of    tlir    |{riti>h    nation. 

So   far   from    assiimini:    a    Catholir  iliiniaiior,   Knnli>hmiii 

(Ifinamliil    that    tin-    M-cri-t   ami    umltrmininj;  foi-s  hirkinj; 

within  tin-  Kstahlislmn-nt  shouhl  hr  tx|Mlli-.l.     Tin-  first  n- 

sult  of  this  formiihihlr  >rntiinirit  was  sicn  at  (KfonI  win  ii 

the   TniviTsity   was   >oliiitiil   to  i-n-rt    a   iiuinorial   to  tin- 

martvrs,   Uiilli\ ,  bitiimr.  and  Cranmer.  who  ha.l   >utrinil 

tluTiMhirinntlu-  Marian  l»nniin>r^.    Tin-  thm  fold  piir|>oM-  hi^ 

himi  thf  sclninr  was  to  marshal  thr  fnll  stnn^'lh  of  Oxford's 

ulli'Hianir  to  tin-  Kiformi'd  faith,  to  |)ro\  idr  a  countirhlast 

to   Frouili's  volmuf,  and   to  di-covir  whi-thrr  thirr   wi-r*' 

any  vcstim-s  of    l*roti->tanti>ni  lift  anionj;  thr  Tractarian^^. 

Nt'wnmn  and   Kihh-  hatnl  the  tirm  I'roti'stant,  and  murh 

that  it  i(iimoti-d.     Thi\    hild  aloof  from  tlir  i)ropo-.id,  and 

after  sonu-  hr>itation,   I'umv  and  those  who  felt  as  In-  did 

followiil    suit.     To    honor   tin-    faith    and    sai  rifiir    of    thr 

three  bishops  was  an  inipiachnnnt  of  .\n^'liran  latholicity 

and  an  indireit  indorMiuent  of  the  (ienevan  theolii>;y  whiili 


MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION   TEST   CHART 

iANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2) 


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III  2.0 

1.1 

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1.25 


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I  i 


W 


!      t 


t     I 


H 


! 


538     THREK    RKLKJIOL'S    LEADP^RS   OF   OXFORD 

tlic  Tractariaiis  ahjnml.  "Any  tiling,"  said  Koble,  "which 
separates  the  present  ("hiireh  from  the  l{eforiners  I  should 
liail  as  a  jjreat  j^ood."  The  nienn.rial  was  set  up  without 
their  aid,  to  he,  in  the  words  of  I  can  Cjiurch,  "a  decisive 
tliough  unofficial  si};n  of  tlie  jud^'uient  of  tlie  university 
against  the  Traclarians." 

It  showed  that  they  had  nothing  favorable  to  expect 
from  the  authorities,  and  that  they  were  fast  severing 
tlieniselves  from  the  nation.  They  were  still  one  in  their 
professions  of  fidelity  to  the  (^hurcli,  but  the  last  of  the  Tracts 
was  about  to  ajipeur  and  divide  them  on  that  question.  Its 
pages  glowe<l  with  light,  heat,  color;  they  were  written 
with  the  pen  of  a  ready  scribe,  never  crude,  always  graceful. 
Yet  despite  Newman's  rare  gifts,  his  in  many  ways  unsur- 
passed charm,  his  unique  personality,  he  was  not  convincing. 
High  intentions  conferred  on  him  no  sufficient  powers  of 
p<>rsuasion.  "The  father  of  them  that  look  biick,"  he  was 
unable  to  perceive  that 

"  Crtwls  pass,  rites  change,  no  altar  standeth  whole : :: 

in  a  world  of  dust  and  ashes  he  predicated  an  almost  endless 
durability  for  venerable  ideas  and  symbols  which  were  being 
forsaken   when   lie   prophesied.     His   mind   worked    under 
conditions  which  his  age  refused  to  accept  and  from  stand- 
points  it   instinctively   rejected.     The   far-reaching  extent 
and  apparent  antiquity  of  the  Papal  Church  were  always 
before   him.     They   molded    his   conceptions   of    faith   as 
forever  associated  with  secondary,  incidental  things,  with 
a  formula,  a  hierarchy,  an  institution.      For  him  there  was 
but  one  goal,  ominous  and  rept>llent  as  it  tnen  appeared  — 
ChristlaiiHi)  mrnnt  Rome.     The  prolonged  oscillations  of  his 
heart  and  brain,  the  innumcrabl.   'rnpressions  which  he  had 
-eceived  from  widely  separated  sources,  could  nt)t  divert  him 
from  the  underlying  equilibrium  he  eventually  found  in  the 
Papacy. 

These  inward  wrestlings  he  re\ealed  to  none,  but  Tract 


,   ! 


JOHN    HKXRY    NEWMAN 


539 


Ninety  could  not  liave  been  written  had  he  not  experienced 
them.  They  i)epan  anew  in  1S:59,  when  he  read  the  iiistory 
of  the  Monophysites,  and,  as  it  seemed  to  liim,  saw  their 
heresy  reflectwl  in  the  sixteenth  and  nineteenth  centuries. 
If  these  ancient  sectaries  who  contench'd  tliat  Jesus  Clirist 
was  neither  wholly  <iivine  nor  wholly  human  hut  in  part 
both,  were  heretics,  so  were  Protestants  and  An};licans  of 
to-tlay.  "The  drama  of  relifjion  and  the  combat  of  truth, 
were  ever  one  and  the  same.  The  principles  and  proceed- 
ings of  the  Church  now,  were  those  of  the  Church  then ; 
the  principles  and  proceedings  of  heretics  then,  were  those  of 
heretics  now."  The  similarity  may  not  have  been  patent  to 
others,  but  it  was  to  him  ;  he  grieved  over  it,  and  spoke  of  the 
awful  likeness  between  the  dead  reconls  of  the  past  and 
the  feverish  chronicles  of  tlie  present.  What  use  was  there 
in  continuing  his  labors  if  he  was  only  forging  arguments 
for  Arius  or  Eutyches,  turning  devil's  advocate  against  the 
much-enduring  Athanasius  and  the  majestic  Leo?  "  Be  my 
soul  with  the  saints  I"  he  exclaimed  .  .  .  "anathema  to  a 
whole  tribe  of  Cranmers,  Ri<ileys,  Latimers,  and  Jewels."  ' 
During  the  August  of  that  year  he  read  an  article  by  Dr. 
Wiseman  in  the  Dublin  lleriew,  which  did  not  specially 
interest  him  until  a  friend  called  his  attcntictn  to  the  words 
of  St.  Augustine  quoted  by  Wiseman,  "Securus  judicat 
orbis  terrariun."  They  became  for  Xewman  as  a  nail 
fastened  in  a  sure  place;  indeed,  driven  through  the  heart 
of  his  theorj'  of  a  Via  Media.  Although  his  .\nglican  prin- 
ciples refused  to  be  silenced,  they  were  mortally  wounded. 
Out  of  the  mists  which  had  so  long  enshrouded  his  vision 
there  leaped  up  a  sudden  definite  prcscntinunt  that  in  the 
end  Rome  would  be  victorious.  To  use  his  own  phrase, 
he  had  seen  the  shadow  of  a  hand  upon  the  wall.  Here- 
after he  felt  a  growing  dislike  to  speak  against  the  formal 
teachings  of  the  Papacy.  Yet  as  a  moral,  soiial.  and  political 
fabric,  it  was  vulnerable,  and  in  any  e\cnt  he  felt  bound 

'"Apologia";    pp.  Ill    Uli. 


I 


Ill 


I !' 


•!  * 


.il 


I! 


( 


■; 


y 


ill  \*^ 


;  f  ■    ; 


'  i 


i 


if    ' 

n 


Hi: 


i.i 


i 


540      THUKK    UKLKilors    LKAUKUS  OK  OXFORD 

to  roturii  to  tin-  dt-ft'iisi'  of  his  motlicr  Churcli.  What  she 
liukrd  ill  catholicity  she  piiiu'd  in  aiM)stohcity.  Her  re- 
juvenation was  still  possible  if  the  vulpir  misunderstandings 
«)f  her  Article^  could  he  removed,  and  the  doctrines  of  the 
purer  faith  were  permitted  to  live  and  speak  in  her 
formularies.  He  felt  a  f;rave  resi)onsil)ility  for  the  younger 
Tractarians,  who  were  l)ounil  in  the  toils  of  his  personality, 
to  whom  he  was  the  real  primate,  the  source  of  light  and 
leading.  Some  were  straining  on  the  leash,  others  straggling 
toward  Home.  He  could  neither  consent  to  part  with  them, 
nor  admit  that  their  threatened  defection  was  justifiable. 
Its  ostensible  cause  was  their  resentment  against  the  historic 
I'rotestanti>m  of  the  Articles,  and  in  order  to  disabuse  their 
prejudices  Newman  wrote  his  Tract. 

Its  governing  principle  was  the  interpretation  of  the 
Heforir.ed  confessions  in  the  most  inclusive  sense  they 
would  admit,  entirely  subjecting  the  particular  beliefs  of 
their  framers  to  the  beliefs  of  the  Church  universal.  Its 
object  was  to  assure  his  followers  that  they  could  still  find 
divine  life  and  shelter  in  .\nglicanism.  Its  fundamental 
errors  were  that  it  contradicted  a  known  historical  develop- 
ment and  dealt  solely  with  credal  mechanisms  which  were 
incapable  of  repairing  their  own  injuries.  In  pursuance 
of  these  principles  and  aims,  Newman  attempted  the 
subjective  cri'ation  of  a  historic  situation  by  his  manip- 
ulation of  language.  None  could  have  made  a  better  at- 
tempt, l)ut  not  even  he  could  achieve  success.  The  license 
with  which  he  treated  historic  ])hraseologies  was  a  l)lot  upon 
his  argument.  His  shadings,  softenings,  circumlocutions, 
special  pleadings,  careful  avoidances  of  decisive  features. 
w«'re  by  tliis  time  familiar  to  his  critics.  Like  Napoleon,  he 
had  revealed  to  observant  foes  the  secret  of  his  strategic 
genius.  Dean  Church  remarked  that  he  pared  (h)wn  lan- 
guag<'  to  its  barc.-t  meaning.  His  conclusion  was  that 
tliough  the  .Article-,  were  the  produ  .t  of  an  unCatholie  atre, 
they  were  pni'iDii  of  a  Catholic  interpretation.     Since  this 


JOHN    IIKNKY    NKWMAX 


')4l 


'  '1 

fl 


was  the  marrow  of  his  contfiitioii,  otliir  iiiiittcrs  which  ht- 
mentioneil  can  he  jKisscd  over.     Miitcrial  in  proof  of  his 
position  was  conipilcil  from  Mindry  sources  without  rc^'ard 
for  the  exceptions  an<l  quahKcatioiis  from  those  same  sources, 
whieli,  if  prcnluctHl,  as  tliey   sliould   have  heen,  must  have 
altered    the    suhstaiice   of   iiis   reasouinj;.     His  autajronists 
based  their  objections  on  tlie  history  and  tlie  words  of  the 
Articles.     They  demonstrated  that  tlie  An<;lican  divines  of 
the  sixteenth   century,  althou<;h    the\    loved    ami    revered 
the  earlier  Church,  joined   themselves  to  the  continental 
Reformers  against  the  Renaissance  Papacy,  and  restricted 
the   Rule  of   Faith  to  the   Holy   Scriptures.     The   i)recise 
weight  to  be  ascribe<l  to  the  literal  and  grammatical  sense 
of  the  Articles,  which  Newman  claimed  he  had  given,  was 
not  sufficient  for  their  explanation.     Had  it  been  sufficient, 
it  bore  heavily  against  hisex])osition.    They  were  soavowedly 
Protestant  in  dealing  with  I'urgator . ,  Pardons.  Adoration 
of  Images,  and  the  dogma  of  the  Mass,  that  Newman  was 
hard  «lriven  to  construe  them  in  any  other  way.     A  review 
of  the  edicts  of  Councils  and  Parliaments  during  the  reigns 
of  Edward  VI  and    Elizabeth   plainl\-    shows    that   it   was 
th.^  purpose  of  those  who  t(M)k  part  in  tiiem  to  formulate  a 
theological  system  which  should   U-  distinctly  Protestant, 
and  at  the  same  time,  not  incompatible  with  the  retention 
of  Catholic  liturgies.     This  would  secure,  as  they  hoped, 
solidarity  for  the  State  Church,  and  uniformity  of  religious 
practice  for  the  nation.     So  far  as  tlie  franurs  of  the  .\rticles 
were  concerned,  they  intended  to  allow  a  reasonable  lati- 
tude for  their   interpretation   without    comimnnising  their 
Protestant  determuiation.     That   >uch  an  intricaU-  process 
affordeil  Newman  a  suitable  opportunity  for  his  dialectical 
cleverness  could  not  be  gainsaid.     But  he  failed  to  convince 
either  friend  or  foe,  or,  as  it  i)roved  in  the  se(iuel,  iiiniself. 
The  Tract  fell  like  a  boml)  shell  in  the  camps  of  Evan- 
gelicals and  High  Churchmen.     Oxford  was  attacked  in  the 
House  of  Commons  as  a  seed  plot  of  Roman  teaching  ;  even 


'  il 


\: 


nil 
ii  hi 


lii  i^h: 


U 


u. 


542      THKLE    RELIGIOUS  LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

the  majority  of  Newman's  friends  felt  that  he  had  advanced 
too  far  into  a  doubtful  region  :  his  opixinents  accused  him  of 
false  doctrine,  false  history,  false  dialectics,  and  deliberate 
dishonesty.  Ten  days  after  the  Tract  appeared  Churton 
of  Brasenosc,  II.  li.  Wilson  of  St.  John's,  Griffiths  of  Wad- 
ham,  and  Tait  of  Balliol  communicate<l  with  Newman  as 
the  editor  of  the  series,  calling  upon  the  author  to  divulge 
his  identity  and  accusing  him  of  oix-ning  the  way  for  Roman 
doctrines  and  practices  to  be  taught  in  the  University. 
The  Hebdomadal  Board  met  and  without  granting  Newman 
a  hearing,  condemned  the  Tract  out  of  hand  as  evading 
rather  than  explaining  the  sense  of  the  Articles  and  rec- 
onciling subscription  to  them  with  the  adoption  of  errors 
they  were  designed  to  counteract.  Newman  admitted  that 
he  was  its  author,  and  enlarged  upon  his  distinction  between 
the  Tridentine  decrees  and  the  Scholasticism  on  which 
mmlern  Papal  beliefs  were  founded.  The  hastiness  of  his 
arraignment  was  a  selfish  blunder  which  recoiled  on  the 
perpetrators.  It  brought  him  sympathy  from  unexpected 
quarters  and  summoned  the  more  mo<lerate  Tractarians  to 
his  aid.  After  some  correspondence  with  his  bishop,  Dr. 
Bagot,  i*.  was  agreed  that  the  Tracts  should  be  discontinued, 
upon  which  for  a  brief  space  the  tumult  subsided.  Newman 
was  gratified  at  the  outcome ;  the  bishops,  as  he  supposed, 
were  anxious  for  peace,  and  to  this  he  consented,  providtnl 
Tract  Ninety  was  not  to  be  withdrawn  nor  condemned.  lie 
decided  to  surrender  nothing  which  he  held  on  conscience,  and 
did  not  yet  realize  that  he  had  helped  to  kindle  a  conflagra- 
tion which  was  beyond  his  power  or  that  of  any  other  man 
to  extinguish.  The  summer  of  1S41  found  him  at  Little- 
more,  set  upon  banishing  cares  and  controversies,  and 
busy  with  a  translation  of  St.  Athanasius. 

Such  a  reaction  fnmi  overstrained  tension  must  have  seemed 
to  him  like  a  dream  of  the  Fortunate  Isles.  Yet  self-centered 
as  he  was  in  everything,  not  from  morbid  vanity  or  pride,  but 
because  he  stood  alone,  fashioning  for  himself  more  congenial 


ii 


JOHN    IIKNUV    MWMAN 


'A.i 


conditions,  he  had  niadt"  hut  littit-  way  in  his  work  when 
his   troubU's    rt'turnctl,   escorted,   as    usual,    by    tlie   Arian 
specter,  which  cauic  to  taunt  him  with  the  helplessness  of 
his  attempts  to  reconcile  the  jjerplexin;:  <lisparitics  l)et\veen 
opposing   theories   or  assifju   their   place   and   efKciency   in 
history.     lie  aj;aiu  perceived,  and  apiin  retreated  from  the 
perception,  that  the  pure  Arians  were  the   Protestants  of 
their  age,  the  semi-Arians  the  Anglicans,  and  that  Rome 
was  now  what  she  had  alwavs  betn.     The  misery  of  this 
unsettlement    was    heightened    by    a    second    blow    which 
seriously     weakened    his    hold    upon    Anglicanism.      The 
bishops,  to  use  his  own  language,  "began  charging  against 
us,"  and  the  Tractarians  nut  with  the  usual  fate  of  those 
who  traffic  in   new   ideas.     For  three  years   IMoomfield  of 
London,  Sumner  of  Chester,  his  brother  Charles  of  Win- 
chester, Phillpotts,  known  as  "Harry  of  Kxeter,"  Copleston 
of  Lh'udatt',  and  other  prelates  maintained  a  >tea(ly  assault 
upon  Newmanism.     "Bishops'  ciiargcs,"  says  Mr.   Augus- 
tine Birrell,  "are  amongst  the  many  seemingly  important 
things  that  do  not  count  in  Kngland."     Hut  on  this  occasion 
they   did    count,    and    their    warnings,  remonstrances,  and 
inhibitions  were  read  and  discussed  in  political  and  clerical 
circles.     Even    Bagot   ceased   to   tempori/e,    and   although 
lamenting  the  violence  and  unseemliness  of  some  other  at- 
tacks, he  felt  compelled  to  di>ai)prove  interpretation^  whivh 
he  said  were  so  full  of  vagaries  that  the  Articles  may  be  made 
to  mean  anything  or  nothing.     Newman  knew  that  public 
confidence  in  him  was  ru«lely  shaken,  iiis  place  among  his 
brethren  lost,  his  oicui)ation  in  the  Movement  gone.     He 
abandoned  his  attempts  to  i)ersuade  the  sheplienls  of  the  flock 
that  the  Church   of   England   was  infinitely   more  than  a 
mere  national  institution  ;    that  it  was  a  li\  ing  member  of 
the  (me  Church  which  (lod  had  set  up  from  the  beginning; 
and,  weary  of  Anglicanism,  again  r.'ii  ■  I  to  Littlcmore,  to  be 
"denounced  as  a  traitor  who  had  hii.i  !iis  train  and  was  de- 
tected in  the  very  act  of  firing  it."' 


'% 


%n 


544      THUEE    UELIOIOrs   LEADEUS  OF  OXFOUD 


\r 


!  .1 


i 


! 


I'ri)j;rams,  prospects,  hopes,  frieiHlsliips  cliaiint')!  with 
startliiiK  rapidity.  Newman's  transpan-nt  scorn  of  the 
bishops  and  their  followers  was  xpressed  in  words  the  more 
cutting  because  scrupulously  civil ;  he  was  wouiiiled  to  the 
(piick,  nor  did  any  truly  capable  leader  appear  who  iniKht 
have  redeemed  him  to  Anglicanism.  On  the  contra r\, 
the  man  who,  after  Newman,  was  chiefly  responsible  for 
wreekinjj:  Tractarianism  now  forged  to  the  front.  The 
audacious  brcMhures  of  W.  d.  Ward  created  consternation 
in  his  own  ranks,  and  ama/ed  and  gratified  his  op- 
ponents. That  which  Newman  had  either  left  unsaid 
or  cautiously  suggested,  this  unmanageable  disciple  openly 
avowed,  tearing  away  his  master's  closely  woven  veils  of 
rhetoric,  and  demanding  subscription  to  the  Articles,  not  as 
they  read,  nor  according  to  Newman's  reading  of  them,  but 
in  a  non-natural  sense.  Such  elasticity  of  conscience  in 
the  region  of  theological  bias  is  not  the  least  notable 
curiosity  of  human  nature,  but  while  Pusey  deprecated 
it  in  Ward,  Newman  gave  no  hint  of  repudiating  him.  The 
Via  Media,  the  Tractarian  party,  the  Anglicanism  of  its 
irreconcilable  members,  alike  crumbled  before  the  merciless 
onfall  of  Ward's  logic,  an  outcome  which  delighted  rather 
than  alarmed  its  agent.  He  was  the  refreshingly  candid 
radical  of  the  Oxford  group,  in  some  respects  its  most 
estimable  and  philosophical  thet)logian,  a  man  of  splendid 
and  diversified  gifts  and  personal  seductiveness.  The 
extensiveness  and  quality  of  his  acquirements  and  the 
good-natured  contempt  with  which  he  treated  his  changing 
fortunes  recall  the  lines  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
in  Uenry  the  Fifth  : 


•;,i1 


"Hear  liini  but  reason  in  divinity. 
Anil,  all-admiring  with  an  inward  wish. 
You  would  di'sin-  tiie  King  were  made  a  prelate. 
Hear  him  dehate  of  commonwealth  affairs, 
You  would  say,  it  hath  heen  all  in  all  his  study : 
List  his  discourse  of  war,  and  you  shall  hear 


JOHN    IIKNKV    NKWMAN 


54o 


A  fearful  liiittlr  rciuliTcil  vdii  in  iini-*if  : 
Turn  liiiii  to  niiy  ciiiisc  of  polir-y, 
Ttif  (loriliaii  knot  of  it  lie  will  unloose 
Kuiiiiliar  as  lii>  ^'artcr." 

Ward  exhil)ite(l  a  tniirkf<l  dcvclopnu'iit  «f  tlip  rcfl«Htivc  over 
the  imiiKiiiiitivt   faculty  and  a  caiJacity  for  ali>tra(t  rrasoii- 
itijt  wliicli  madr  his  writiiijrs  on  tlic  doctriius  of  the  Creator 
and  of  the  free,  responsihle,  and   inunortal  s|)irit  of  man. 
works   of   tlie   lit-st   eliaracter.     Tlie   reaction   of   an   over- 
wroiijtht    hrain,    stiniuhited    l)y    liis    Ini^e    l)ody.    incurahle 
pessimism,   and    numerous  eccentricities,    leil    liim   to   take 
refiij;e  in  occupations  not  often  found  in  a  inetai)iiysi(ian. 
He  was  full  of  contradictoriness  and  j)erversity.  and  wouhl 
sometimes  talk  hy  the  hour  "with  such  intense  {gravity  and 
such  elaliorate  iopcal  se(iuence,  that  a  stran^^er  would  think 
he  must  have  missed  the  drift  of  his  words."      In  relijiicm 
he  was  nothing;  if  not  controversial,  and  durinj;  the  int«'rva!s 
between  his  incessant  debates  he  fomid  relaxation  in  music, 
fiction,  and  the  drama;  passinj;from  the  gravest  tasks  to  the 
opera  and  theater  with  ecpial  facility,  atni.  as  he  avowed,  with 
ecpial  l)enefit.     The  vigor  and  acumen  of  his  analytical  and 
critical  powers  were  not  cramped,  apparently,  by  his  settled 
orthtxloxy.      Althouj;h    he  was   supposed   tf)  reason   imder 
confessional  restrictions,  his  ajrile  mind  enabled  him  to  con- 
vey   the   impression  of  eonsistei't  argument,  which,  if  not 
correct,  was.  as  a  rule,  in  clear  agreement  with  its  premises. 
The  accepted  opinion  that  intense  religious  convictions  arc 
not  easily  ctmipatiblc  with  the  free  motions  of  the  intellect, 
or  that  purely  arbitrary  traditions    impede    the    fmutions 
of  philosophical   reflection,  was  not   sustained   in   the  case 
of  Ward.     Despite  his  theological  narrowness  and  avowed 
sacerdotalism,  he  was,  >aid  Oean  Church,  "tli,-  most  amusing, 
the  most  tolerant  man  in  Oxford;    he  had  n.nnd   liiin  i)er- 
petually    some   of   the   clcverot   and  briglitc-t   M-holars  and 
thinkers  of  the  place;    and  where  he  was.  tlicre  was  del)atc, 
cross-questioning,     pushing     inferences,     starting    alarming 

2.N 


11 


'!  . 


1  •!' 


I 


! 


i        I 


= '1  ^ 


1,1 

I 


» 

i 


ll-!5 

■n  !  ..  , 

:f  !  'i  '• 


I* 


1 


<j 


r)40      TIIKKK    UKMdlOfS   LKADKKS  Ol    OXIOKD 

proltlt'in-;,  lu'iitiii^'  out  iiU-as,  trvinj;  tlic  >tiilV  ami  iin-ttlt-  of 
iiifiital  capacity.  If  tlic  old  scliola^fii-  ili-jnitatioiis  hail 
hccii  still  in  iim'  at  (Kronl,  lli■^  triiiiiii)li>  woiilil  have  liccii 
si;;iial  and  incinor;ililc.  IIi>  >uc(r>>.  compaicil  with  that  of 
other  icatjcr^  of  the  Mi>\<inciit,  was  a  pncininciitly  intd- 
Ifctual  snccc>s."  '  In  his  (ir^t  phase  he  wa>  a  latitudinariaii, 
wavering'  lictwccii  the  Mroad  (  hnn  hinan^hip  of  'I'ait,  Arnold, 
anil  Stanley,  and  the  milder  I'tilitarianisin  of  .lohii  Stuart 
Mill.  In  tills  and  much  eUe,  "  he  rt  i)re>ented  the  intellectual 
I'orce.  the  irrefrapiMe  loi;ic,  the  ahsolute  >elf-eonfidence, 
and  the  headlong'  impetuo>ity  of  the  Uu^hy  School.  What- 
ever lie  said  or  did  was  ri^dit.  As  a  pliili>so|)her  and  a 
logician  it  was  hard  to  deal  with  him."  '  His  hesitation 
ended  after  his  fir-t  contact  with  llurrell  Kroude  and  New- 
man, althou^rh  the  latter  only  mentions  him  once  in  the 
"Apoloj;ia."  The  conversations  at  Oriel  and  the  lectures 
and  sermons  at  St.  Mary's  completely  separated  him  from 
Broad  ("hiirchmen  and  the  Millites,  and  he  hecame  one  of 
the  most  indefati^raMi',  industrious,  and  yet  independent 
adherents  of  the  Tractarian  jjarty. 

Beneath  his  adherence  to  dialectical  forms  and  his  ex- 
cessive love  of  a-sthctics  was  a  jmifoundly  relijrious  temper- 
ament which  drove  him  to  seek  for  a  >;reater  assurance  in 
matters  of  faith  than  reason  could  supi)ly.  He  lonjred 
for  an  authoritative  or^'ani/ation  to  which  he  could  sur- 
render his  perturhed  mind,  and  enter  into  the  juace 
attained  hy  suhmi-sion.  From  .Newman  lit  derived  the 
cimviction  that  jirimitive  (■|iri>tianity  mijiht  have  hecii 
corrupted  into  Pojiery,  hut  that  no  form  of  iVotestanti^ni 
could  pos>il)ly  have  developed  into  Catholicism.  This  led 
him  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Tridentine  decrees  wereohli^'a- 
tory  and  that  the  .\iij:licaii  Church  must  reconcile  her  Arti- 
cles with  them  or  Mirrender  her  claim  to  Catholicity.  The 
distinction   which    Newnian    inaiK'    hetweeii   what   was    es- 


■Tlu-  Oxl'.inl  Mi 


I'nu'nl  "  :    pp.  ^U.i  :i44. 

"  Ki'lliilii^rnirrs"  ;     \(>l.    II,   p.  ."i. 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWM.W 


.-vJ? 


sfiitially  Ciitliolir  ;n  (i|>|iiimi|  ti>  uliiii   "a-   piirclv    Uiiinaii 
)li<l  nut  satisfy  Wanl,  \\\u>  ar^'iinl   that   wliilc  ihf  Artii'lf^ 
were  "patient  of  a  (  iitliolir  niraniiii;  lli''>  wiTc  ainliitii>ii--  of 
a  I'rotc^taiit  i>nr;  tlif  i.tV-prin;:  i>\'  an  ini( 'atlmlii-  a^f,  ami  a 
liindrancf  to  tnil\   (ailinlir  liilid'  in  tlir  I',nuli-li  Cliiinli." 
Ilf  cndcavurcd  tc  -nl»titnti-  I'nr  tlair  a(rc])tf.|  tcarliin;;  lii> 
••onji'ctural   nniMnlation-  <>n    tlnir  ori^rinal   .lix  crinc.   or.   at 
r.ny  rate,  wliat  in  ln>  \  irw  tliat  ilurtrinc  >ii(>nlii  lia\r  Ihtii. 
Hfcausf  of  tlii>  proccciiint:.  at  tlir  '(•(inc-t  of  Tait.  lii>  fricml 
uiitl    fcllow-tntor,    lie    wa-   (lfpri\c<l    of    lii^    Icctnrc^liip   at 
Balliol.  an   act  wlmli   lie  clictTfiillv    accci'tfil  and  iliclarrd 
quite  proiMT.     IIi>  advanee  toward  Koine  ^'rieved  Newman, 
who,  destined  in  tliis  to  follow  instead  of  lead,  >uf;p'sted  pru- 
dence and  delay.     Notliinj;  \va>  more  contrary   to  Ward's 
teui|MT,  and  after  the  older  'i'ractarian^  saw  that  he  would 
not  yield  to  their  w  i-<lic>,  tiny  turned  a^'aiii>t   him.     Kehle, 
Pusey,  Williams,  and  I'ahner  were  now  >eparate<l  from  New- 
man, and  yet  further  from  Ward   and   his  admirers.     The 
publication    in    1S4:'.   of    I'almer's    "Narrative    of    Kvents" 
voiced  the  grievances  of  these  conservative^,  who  complained 
of  their  unruly  ->ul)ordi nates  as  contemptuous  toward  the 
Church  of  Kn>;land  and  her  reformer-,  and  >crvile  in  their 
adulation  of  Home.     Ward  replied  l>y  sivinj:  forth  his  "  Meal 
of  a  Christian  Chnnh  con-iilercd  in  comparison  with  exist- 
ing Practice."     The   c  \nlierant  <;ynma>tics  of   the  volume, 
which  showed  how  he  could  leap  from  one  side  of  the  fence 
to  tlie  other  with  a-toundin},'  ea-c  and  indilVcren<c,  t'anu.! 
for  him  the  sohricjuct  of  "Ideal  Ward."     In  manner  .irtrn- 
meutative,  in  matter  lackimc  coircncy,  hi>  i)rodnction 
sistcd  of  one  sylloj;i>m,  the  major  prcmi-e  l.cinu'  tiiat  e\.r\- 
thiufj   pertaining'   to    Home   was   divinely   authorized;     the 
minor  one,  that  the  coimnon  forms,  methods,  and  rule>  ..I 
the  Church  of  Kui^land   were  contrary  to  those  of  l{ome : 
hence  the  conclusion.  Home  was  ri.i;ht  and  all  I'Ise  wa  .  wronj;- 
Although  Ward  continued  to  assure  his  half-aumsed,  half- 
outraged  readers  that  he  was  still  an  Andican.  he  e.xpati- 


MS      TIIUKK    UKl.KJIors    LKADKItS  OK  oXI'OKI) 

jitnl  on  till-  ilKinaii  Cliiinli  in  «l<>^^''i>J  tiriii-*.  ii^  tlw  iirarly 
IM-rlVct  iiicaniiitioii  of  Christian  frllow^liip,  a>;aiii>t  wliitli 
tlu'  IVotfstaiit  -ict-.  ^tiMxl  (tilt  in  (Mlioii-.  contrast.  Tlicsr 
fxas|MTatiiiK  Miitiiiinit-^  lunl  tlu'ir  mciiicI  in  lii>  il»>:railatioii, 
tin-  >tory  of  wliicli  i-  iMotpoiml  in  (UtVn-iur  to  tlir  il  i>iio- 
lo),'i<al  onliT  of  rvonts  aii<l  to  tin-  anoniit  of  tlic  tliinl  sliut- 
trriiin  Itltjw  wliicli  awaitnl  Newiuun. 


V\ 


■■ '!    ' 


m  I 


i  i' 


in 

Tliis  was  tho  estal)lislniu'iit.  at  the  iiistatico  of  KiiiK 
Fmlt-riik  William  i»f  I'ni^^ia.  of  tlu-  .h-nisiK'tn  hisliop- 
rif,  an  ait  wliicli.  to>;ctluT  with  Newman's  mis^'iviiins  over 
aiicifiit  litTi'siis  and  tlit'ir  iikmUtii  coiinti-rparts,  and  tlu' 
reprisals  of  the  liisliops,  t-iiiU-d  his  relations  with  Aiijjli- 
eaiiism.  The  Clievalier  Hnnseii,  i  well-known  scholar,  his- 
torian, and  diiiloinatist  of  the  e.iHy  Nictorian  peritnl,  was 
coiiimissi<)ned  hy  the  IVussiaii  Monarch  to  arrange  with  the 
Kn^lish  government  tor  a  dual  piotectoratt-  over  the  Chris- 
tians in  Palestine  who  were  outside  the  pale  of  the  Kastern 
("hurches.  The  ori^'in  of  the  project  may  have  been  clue  to 
a  royal  whim,  hut  under  iUuisen's  piidance,  it  was  brought 
to  a  successful  issue.  He  knew  and  admired  Kngland  and 
Kn>;lislinien,  and  was  anxious  to  cultivate  ainicahlo  relations 
between  his  native  land  and  the  country  in  which  lu-  spent 
the  lar^'cr  part  of  his  life,  where  he  was  for  thirteen  y«'ars 
ambassador  at  the  Court  of  .St.  James  and  poi)ular  amoiiK 
all  classes.  The  bishopric  was  founded  to  be  filled  alter- 
nately by  the  two  <;overnments ;  a  mutual  recoj;iiition  of 
.Vnjilican  and  Lutheran  orders  and  creeds  was  agreed  upon  ; 
Dr.  Alexander  was  consecrated  to  the  see,  and  authorized 
to  ordain  Cr-rman  Protestants  in  the  Ibtly  Land  on  their 
sif^nin;;  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  as  well  as  assenting  to  the 
.\uj;sburi;  Confession.  The  scheme  was  a])proved  by  Broad 
Churchmen,  some  of  whom  were  Hunsen's  personal  friends; 
the  High  Churchmen  disliked  it;  the '.'Vactarians  repudi.ited 


H 


JOHN    IIINIIV    NKWMAN 


541) 


it;  ami  Ncwniiiii  lahclrd  it  "ftarful."  '"  hidfuii-i,"  aiul 
"ntnu'ious."  in  .Inly.  lsU,  lir  wrote  in  tin  lirit'mli 
Critic:  "Wlu'ii  unr  tlmnnhts  turn  tii  tin-  Ka-t,  instfau  i)f 
ri'iollrctinn  that  tluTr  art-  ('liri>tian  ("hurclif^  tlu-n-,  we 
K'avf  it  ti)  tlu-  l{u-.sians  to  take  <arf  of  tin-  tlncks,  ami 
the  I'Vencli  to  take  lart-  of  tlu'  Hotiiaiis,  and  wr  rontnit  our- 
sdvrs  with  frcctinu'  a  l'rotr>tant  (  hnrtii  at  .Irmsaltrn  .  .  . 
«r  with  ln'coininn  tin-  anjinst  prottitors  of  Notorians, 
Monophysitts,  and  all  tin-  inT<'ti<s  w«'  can  think  of,  or 
with  forniinj;  a  h-a^nf  witli  tlu*  Mn->iihnaii  apiin>t  (Irti-ks 
and  Hoinans  tojjrthtT.  "  '  In  Novi-ndnT  he  Miit  a  >ol«  inn 
protest  tt»  the  Archhishop  of  ("anterlniry,  and  to  his  own 
bishop,  in  which  he  fnlniinated  apiinst  Liithtranisin  and 
Calvinism  as  "heresies,  repnpiaiit  to  ."scripture,  sprinj;in>j 
up  three  centuries  since,  and  anathematized  i)y  Kast  as  well 
as  West."  The  assumption  that  the  Antilicaii  Church  was 
in  origin  and  doctrine  closely  allied  to  the  (ierman  Kvanp'li- 
cal  Churclus  was  aliominatcd  hy  thox-  whom  he  representeil. 
Once  aclmitted,  as  it  was  in  this  case,  such  an  assumption 
destroyed  the  claim  of  the  ( 'hurch  of  Kn;.'land  to  he  considered 
a  branch  of  the  <"atholic  Church,  ami  coridemncfl  the  theory 
of  the  Via  Media.  From  now  onward,  in  New  man'sestimate, 
Anjjlicanism  was  "either  not  a  normal  portion  of  that  one 
Church  to  which  the  promises  were  maile,  or  at  least  one  in 
un  alinonnal  state."  -'  It  may  he  ailded  that  the  "  Fancy 
(^hurch,"  as  Mr.  Cdad>t(rie  called  the  or;;ani/ation  at  Jeru- 
salem, had  a  very  brief  ami  inetVective  existence,  and  after 
the  joint  arraiij;enieiit  had  furnishcii  three  bishops  it  was 
rclinquislutl. 

These  three  blows  which  had  fallen  upon  .Newman  were 
now  followed  by  three  defeat>.  The  Liberal  Churchmen, 
eneoura>;ed  by  their  success  '\v  the  matters  of  Tract  Ninety 
and  the  .lerusah-m  episcopate,  resolved  to  i)ush  their  advan- 
tage, and  the  contest  for  the  I'rofi  ssorshij)  of  I'oetry  at 
Oxford,    which    Keble     resigned    in     ISII.    gave    them    an 

'  ••.\l«)li)Kiii";    |>i).  Ill    lU.  -  /'.i,/.    I,]..  1  I'.l    l.'ilt. 


i 


li 


4 


MM 


■11 

in   -' 


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«^:    ^ 


i^ii 


■t: 


H 


J 


Ml 


^  ;^n' 


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if: 
>  t 

it; 
i    r 

i  ■ 


550      THREE   KELIOIOLS   LEADERS  OK  OXFORD 

opening.      Isaac     Williams,     tiie     Tractariaii     candidate, 
possessed   some  poetical  j;ifts  of  which  his  victorious  rival, 
James  (larhett,  was  entinly  j;uiltless.     Williams  was  placed 
in  nomination  only  to  discover  how  seriously  his  candida- 
ture  had  lu-en  prejudiced  hy  his  partisan  connections  and 
by  his  authorsiiip  of   the  Tract   on    "Reserve."      lie   was 
furthtT  handicapiHul   hy  an   ill-timiHl   circular  letter  which 
Dr.  I'usey  sent  out  recoinmendinj;  him  for  the  professorship 
on  the  ground  of  his  relij;ious  views.     His  failure  to  obtain 
the  chair   so  deeply  distressed  Williams  that  he  withdrew 
from    Oxford    to    Stinchcomhe,    near     Dursley,    where    he 
foinid  consolation  in  writing;  those  devotional  conunentaries, 
poems,  and    hynnis   which   are   still    prized    by   simie   High 
("Imrchmen.     Far  more  important  than  this,  the  first  set- 
back of  the  Tractari.ms  as  a  party,  was  the  attack  made  cm 
Dr.  Tusey  and  headed  by  Hawkins,  the  Provost  of  Oriel. 
On    May    21,    ISi:',,    I'usey    preached    in    Christ    Church 
Cathedral  on  tlie  Holy  Kuchari-t,  and  althoUf;h,  accordinsto 
Dean  Church,  he  li    d  lan-iuagc  strictly  in  accordance  with 
that  of  other  Anjilican  divines,  the  sermon   was  made  the 
basis  of  action  af;ainst  him  for  heresy.     Its  assessors  were 
Hawkins,  Symoiis,  .lenkyns,  Ofzilvie,  .lelf,  and  Faussett,  two 
of  whom  acted  as  both  accuser  and  JuiIkc     They  condemned 
Pusey  and  iidiil)ited  him  froui  preaching;  within  the  I'ni- 
versity  for    two   years.       The  proceedinjis    were  irrcfiular 
throufihout ;    I'liscy    was    neither    allowed    a    hearing    nor 
acquainted  with  the  char<,'es    made  apiinst   him.     He  did 
not    even    know    who    the    objectors    were,    except    from 
rumor,  nor  to  what   standards  his  sermon  had   been   sub- 
mitted.      Coiise(iuently,   althouj,'h    he   oiTere<l    t()  sij;n  an 
explanatory    statement,    he     would    not     formally    retract 
what   he   had   said,  and  his  ille^'al   and  unjust   suspei'sioii 
remained  in  ctVect.      It  both  confirmed  lli.nh  Churchmen  in 
their  obduracy  aufl  brouirht   Newuian  nearer  to  M-cession. 
"Thiiifis  are  very  serious  here,"  he  wrote  to  a  friend;    "the 
authorities  find  that,  l>y  the  statutes,  they  have  more  than 


JOHN'    llEXRY   NEWMAN 


551 


military  puwi-r,  iiikI   tin-  ^cruTul   impression  seems  to  he, 
that  tliey  inteiul  to  exert  it,  and  put  down  Catholieism  at 

anv  risk."  ' 

Ward  w  as  the  next  otVen(KT  >lated  for  a  severe  pumsiunent, 
and  one  wliich  mark-d  the  final  overthrow  of  the  original 
l)hase  of  TraetarianiMn.     On  tlie   i:;th  of  Kel)rnary,   1.S4."), 
('onvoeation    ratified    formally   the   action   to  censure   him 
already  adopted  hy  the  llelxlomadal  Coimcil.     He  made  a 
unique  defense  of  his  o])inions,  and  a»nred  the  (\mvoeation 
that  he  was  still  loyal  to  Anf;licani>ni,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  aeld  the  whole  content  of  Uoman  doctrine.     Such 
arguments   strengthened    the   roolntion   of  his  enemies  to 
silence  him  :  his  l)ook  on  the  "  Ideal  ( 'hurch  "  was  condemned 
a.id  his  degrees  taken  from  him.     I'pon  thi>  he  resigned  his 
fellowship,   and   although    hitliert.>   an   avowed   believer   in 
celibacy,   he   married,    retired   to    U.»e   Hill,    near  Oxford, 
and  in  September  of  that  year,  was  received  into  the  Church 
of  Home.     The  career  of  this  richly  endowed  but  wayward 
genius  has  been  portrayed  in  the  a<lmiral)le  an<l  impartial 
biography  written  by  his  son.  Dr.  Wilfred  Ward.     Tenny- 
son, wh()  was  neighbor  to  him  in  his  last  days,  composed 
the    well-known    epitaph    which    commemorated    a    most 
extraordinary  and  lovable  character. 

"Farewell,  wlio-c  liviii;;  iik.'  1  -liull  ii"t  timl. 
Whose  faitli  iiiiil  work  were  hell-  of  full  iieeoril, 
My  iVieiid,  tlie  uio>t  iiinvorldly  of  inaiikiiiil, 
Most  };eiierims  of  all  ullraiiioiitaiie--,  Wanl, 
How  siilitle  at  tierce  ami  (|iiart  of  iiiiiid  with  mind, 
How  loyal  in  the  followinf;  of  tiiy  Lord." 

Ward  rightly  rebuked  I'rotestiint  harshness  towards  Rome, 
but  it  is  (inestionable  whether  he  was  ever  in  the  vanguard 
of  spiritiud  leadershii)  in  Britain,  and  although  he  made 
sport  with  logic,  ultimately  logic  took  its  revenge  on  him. 

to  his  conntrvmen,  heedless  that 


11 


e  aiittresied 


Ins  appeal 

'  "Apuld 


p.  IT'.l. 


552      THREE   KELinFOfS   LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 


m  Mh: 


\\l\ 


tlu'v  lU'imcattd  tin-  cxaltatioii  of  any  tlu'ories  heyond  tlioir 
lejjitiniatc  sj)litTc  as  workiiif;  liypotlu'si's,  and  were  wont  to 
apply  the  antiseptic  of  eonnnon  sense  to  tlie  laudations  of 
those  who  worshiped  an  abstraction.  Kven  Ward's  skillful 
handling;  could  not  avoid  the  collision  between  sentiment  aiid 
reason,  or  lessen  the  distaste  of  those  who  held  with  Burke 
that  nothing  absolute  can  i)e  afhnned  on  any  moral  or 
political  issue.  ("onse(piently  they  rejected  a  religiotis 
philosopher  who  was  wanting  in  gravity,  and  who,  at  a  pinch, 
could  make  the  worse  appear  the  better  reason.  Yet,  in 
the  larger  .>ense.  Ward's  personal  life  was  anything  but  in- 
consistent, and,  in  the  lesser  sense,  many  of  his  inconsistt-n- 
eies  were  due  to  the  wide  sweep  of  his  vision  and  the  great- 
ness of  his  nature. 

His  condemnation  ami  secession  to  Kome  marked  the 
exit  of  other  notable  converts,  amongst  whom  were  Dal- 
gairns,  Frederick  Oakley,  Ainl)r()se  St.  John,  and  V.  W. 
Faber.  Newman  testified  in  words  often  cpioted  :  "  From 
the  end  of  1S41,  I  was  on  my  deathbed,  as  regards  my 
membership  with  the  Anglican  Church,  though  at  the  time 
I  became  aware  of  it  onl\-  by  degrees."  '  It  was  indeed  a 
lingering  deatli  and  yet  one  which  the  events  we  have  cited 
rendered  certain.  He  relinciuished  the  editorship  of  the 
lirithh  Critic  and  asked  that  his  name  should  l)e  kept 
out  of  it  as  far  as  possil)le.  A  little  later,  in  1S42,  he  left 
his  room  at  Oriel,  and  went  to  Littlemore.  where  he  and  a 
few  disciples  lived  in  moiia>tic  sechision,  jmiying,  fasting, 
studying,  and  repeating  the  daily  offices.  In  ls4o  he  made 
a  formal  retraction  of  all  the  liard  things  he  had  said 
against  the  Roman  ("luirdi.  and  on  September  1  Nth  of  that 
year  he  resigned  the  living  of  St.  Mary's.  On  the  Joth  he 
uttered  his  valedictory  as  an  .\nglican  preacher:  the  sermon 
on  "The  Farting  of  Friends,"  delivered  to  a  small  and 
grief-stricken  congregation  in  the  church  at  Littlemore. 
The  October  following  he  returned  to  Oxford,  where,  on  the 

'  "  AiHilouiM  "  ;    p.  1  IT. 


JOHN    HKXHV    NKWMAN 


a:? 


loth,  Ik-  celchnitcd  tlu-  Holy  Kiicliari.t  at  St.  Mjiry's  for  tlic 
Inst  tiiTU'.  wluMi  tliosc  worsliipors  to  wlioiii  li<>  iiit-aiit  more 
tliiiii  wonls  conl"!  cxprcs-,  ;;atluTC(l  around  the  altar  witli 
foiitlutinj;  i'motioii>.  He  liail  now  conn-  to  tlio  inar>;in, 
hut  lu-  tVan-il  to  laiiiicli  a\va\ .  'riioii<;ii  lie  "was  vt-ry  far 
more  surt-  that  Kufilaml  is  in  s(lii>ni,  than  that  thi-  IJoiuaii 
additions  to  th-  Primitivt-  Crct'd  may  not  !)••  dcvoloiHuoiits, 
nrisiiif;  out  of  a  keen  and  vivid  reali/.inu;  of  the  Divine  De- 
positiun  of  Faith."  '  two  years  were  to  elapse  lufore  he  en- 
tered on  the  unknown  regions  ahead  ;  an  interval  during 
which  he  wrote  his  "  Kssay  on  tin-  l)eveloi)nient  oi  Christian 

Doetriiie." 

This  was  his  apolo^'etic  for  the  stej)  he  was  ahout  to  take. 
Through  it  he  hoped  to  demolish  the  olijeetion^  against  llonie 
because  of  the  accretions  of  her  later  beliefs  and  practices, 
by  proving  that  these  were  simply  expan>ions  of  the 
original  seed  of  truth  conunitteil  to  the  .\i)ostles.  The 
work  was  begun  in  1S4:),  and  as  it  advanccil  \u-^  diffi- 
culties vanished;  he  no  longer  referred  to  those  who  hehl 
the  views  he  discussed  as  "  Uoman  Catholics"  Imt  as  "Cath- 
olics"; he  had  not  completed  his  ta>k  when  he  resolved  to 
be  received  into  their  faith,  and  the  volume  remains  in  the 
unfinished  state  in  which  it  was  then.'  He  stated  that  it 
was  his  intention  and  wish  to  have  carrie.l  tlie  l)ook  through 
the  press  before  his  .secession,  but  he  recognized  in  himself  a 
conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  conclusion  to  which  the  dis- 
cussion led,  so  dear  as  to  supersede  further  .leliberatioii. 
Here  followinl  one  of  tho.st-  passages,  observes  Mr.  Hut- 
ton,  "by  which  Newman  will  be  remembered  as  long  as  the 
English  language  endures." 

"Such,"  he  wrote,  "were  the  thoughts  concerning  '  1  he 
Blessed  Vision  of  I'eace'  of  one  wlio-e  long-continued  peti- 
tion ha.l  been  that  the  Most  Meniful  would  not  despise 
the  work  of  His  own  hands,  uv  leave  him  to  himself ;    while 


■  llwl..  V.  SiA 


L'lls    .'1 1^1. 


Wi' 


tri 


* ,  I 


r  .t 


■■i 


I 

r 


^l? 


^1 


:  r 


'   t      •'  I 


t     ■ 

;       Sf        ; 

■  i  i 

,    f  ft.    > 

1     ;.  f     4 

;n 

Mf  ' 

t 

I 

1  : 

f 


5r)4       THHKK    UKLUilOl'S    LKADKHS  OK   OXKOIU) 

yet  his  fves  wero  dim.  and  his  hrt-ast  huh  ii,  and  he  couhl 
but  einph>y  Ueasoii  in  tlie  things  of  Kaith.  And  now,  dear 
reach-r,  time  is  short,  eternity  is  Umn.  Put  not  from  you 
wluit  you  have  here  found ;  re>;ard  it  not  as  mere  matter  of 
controversy;  set  not  out  resolved  to  refute  it,  and  h)okinfj 
about  for  tlie  best  way  of  doiu);  so  ;  seduce  not  yourself  with 
the  imagination  that  it  comes  of  disappointment,  ordisf^ust, 
or  restlessness,  or  wounded  feeling',  or  undue  sensibility,  or 
other  weakness.  Wrap  not  yourself  round  "in  the  associa- 
tions of  years  past,  nor  determine  that  to  be  truth  which 
you  wish  to  be  so,  nor  make  an  idol  of  cherished  anticipa- 
tions. Time  is  short,  eternity  is  lon«;.  Nunc  dimittis 
servum  tuum,  Domine,  secundum  verbum  tuum  in  pace, 
quia  viderunt  oculi  mei  salutare  tuum."  ' 

The  "Essay"  has  receivetl  more  attention  than  any  other 
prose  work  of  Newman's  except  the  "Apolo^'ia,"  and  in 
it  theologians  have  found  grounds  for  their  assertion  that 
Newman  was  the  progenitor  of  Modernism.  Its  construc- 
tive statements  dealt  with  the  w  ide  divergencies  between  the 
teaching-  of  the  New  Testament  and  those  of  Catholicism. 
These  were  apparent,  not  only  in  degree  but  in  essence,  and 
presented  a  strong  prima  facie  case  against  the  historical 
continuity  of  lloman  doctrine.  Not  only  so,  but  when  the 
authorized  creeds  current  in  difVtTent  ages  of  the  Church 
were  compared,  large  variations  were  disclosed.  How  could 
these  variations  be  harmonized  as  actual  necessary  parts 
of  a  homogeneous  whole?  Newman  arreste<l  the  argument 
at  this  stage  to  point  out  that  Christianity,  however  ex- 
plained, was  first  and  last  a  supreme  fact  established  in  his- 
tory, and  could  not  be  treated  as  a  matter  of  private  opinion. 
Theories  did  not  create  its  imi)()rtance.  but  its  importance 
created  them.  Therefore  they  should  neither  over-ride 
nor  minimize  the  reality  of  a  faith  which  had  found  its 
objective  existence  not  in  the  cloister  nor  the  sanctuary, 
but  in  the  world.     It  had  been  public  property  for  many 

'  "  Uevelopiiu'iit  i.f  ('liristi;iii  Doctriiii'"  ;  I).  445. 


JOHN    IIKNHY    NKW.MAX 


555 


centuries,  and  to  know  it  men  innst  listen  to  the  records  of 
the   past.      He   was   so  confident    iii>Tory   was   at    last    on 
his  side  that   he  conid  atVord   to  Ix-  earelos  and   over-lih- 
eral  in  aUowinj;  a  sreater  weij;lit  to  it>  evidence  in  behalf 
of  his  opponents  than   they   conid   properly   claim.     "Let 
them  consider,"  said  the  poleniie  who  in  defiance  of  history 
had  endeavored  to  wre>t   out   of   tiie  Thirty-nine  Articles 
the  Catholic  ineaninj;  he  coveted,  "that  if  they  can  eriticize 
history,    history   can   retort   upon    tiiem."     It   was   neither 
creed    nor   catechism,  hnt    none   conid    mi-take   its  >;eneral 
import  in  this  matter,  whether  he  accepted  or  rejected  it. 
Its  hold  outlines  and  hroad  ma>ses  nf  color  arose  in  per- 
spective, distant,  incomplete,  hut    -till   iletinite.     And   one 
tliinj;  was  certain;    whatever  history   tanj;ht,   whatever  it 
huifinified,  whatever  it  cxteiuiated,  wliatever  it  said  or  un- 
said, at  least  the  Christianity  of  history  was  not  Trotestant- 
ism.     if  ever  there  was  a  safe  truth,  it  was  this,  and  Prot- 
estantism had  ever  so  felt  it.     If  not,  why  had  its  founders 
thrust  aside  historical  Christianity,  dis])en>in^'  with    it  al- 
together and  formin};  their  doctrine  from  the  IJihle  alone? 
The    lon>;-contimied     ne<;lect    of    ecclesiastical     history    in 
England,  and  even  in  the  .\n.i;lican  Church,  was  accentuated 
hy  the  melancholy  reflection  that  perhaps  the  only  En>;lish 
author  who  had  any  ri^dit  to  he  considered  an  ecclesiastical 
historian  was  the  unheiicver  Cihhon.     The  utter  ineonj;ruity 
between  Trotestantism  and  historical  Christianity  extended 
alike  to  early  and  later  times  ;  it  could  as  litt!<  hear  its  Ante- 
nicene  as  its  I'ost-trideiitine  ])eriod.'     To  he  deep  in  history 
was  to  cease  to  he  a  Trotestant,  whereas,  mi  the  other  hand, 
the  U<mian  Catliolic  communion  was  the  heir  of  patristic 
Christianity.     .Ml   p;irties   a^Teed    that   di<l   .'^t.   .\thanasius 
or  St.  .VmhroM'  conic  suddenly  to  life  they  would  find  them- 
selves more  at  home  with  such  n-        '>  St.  Hernard  or  St. 
Ifjnatius  Loyola,  or  with   the  loni        priest  in  his  lodjiinj;, 
than  with  the  teachers  of  .my  other  creed. - 

'  ■'Di'voliiiiiiKMil  iif  (■|]ri>li.ui  D.i.iiiiic'  ,    PI'    "  ^-       -  Ihul..  pp.  "7  !»s. 


'   1 


o'At      TIIHKK    HKLKJIOIJS   LKADKRS  OF  OX^^OI{D 


} 


ni^ 


;    I 


;!  !    I 


f  . 


Newman  adinittcil  the  al)stract  possihility  of  chanjjes  in  the 
oripnaldtposit  of  tlu'faitli.  hut  added  tliattliose  who  advanced 
tlie  assumption  sliould  sustain  it,  for  unhelief  nuist  justify 
itself  as  well  as  faith.  And  until  positive  reasons  grounded 
on  facts  were  advanced  to  the  contrary,  tlu'  most  natural 
hypothesis  was  to  consider  tliat  the  s(»ciety  of  Christians 
the  Apostles  left  on  earth  were  of  that  relipon  to  which 
they  liad  hccii  converted.  The  <-xternal  continuity  of  name, 
profession,  and  communion  arj;ued  a  real  continuity  of 
doctrine.  ChristiaiiitA-  l)ej;an  by  manifestiiif;  itself  to 
mankind  in  a  pveii  shape  and  hearinj;.  Therefore  it  went 
on  so  to  manifest  itself.  To  take  it  for  granted  that  the 
intervening  periods  had  preserved  in  substance  the  very 
religion  which  Christ  and  Ilis  Apostles  taught  in  the  first 
centuries  was  not  a  violent  supposition,  but  mere  abstinence 
from  the  wanton  admission  of  a  principle  to  the  contrary 
which  necessarily  led  to  the  most  vexatious  and  preposterous 
skepticism.  Whatt-ver  may  have  been  the  nKHlifications 
for  good  or  for  evil  which  lapse  of  time  and  the  vicissitudes 
of  human  all'airs  had  impressed  upon  the  original  revelation, 
in  essence  it  wa^  the  same,  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.' 

Conceding  t!ie  emergence  of  certain  apparent  variations 
in  the  teaching  of  the  Church,  he  sought  to  explain  them 
without  hurt  to  the  unity,  directness,  and  consistency  of 
that  teaching.  Doctrinal  development  arose  out  of  the 
power  of  Christianity  to  impress  its  ideas  upon  the  mind, 
and  these,  being  subject  matter  for  the  exercise  of  reason, 
expaniled  into  other  ideas,  harmonious  with  one  another, 
and  in  themselves  determinate  and  imnmtable,  as  was  the 
objective  Christianity  which  tlie\-  represented.  The  more 
vital  ideas  were,  the  more  nianifolil  their  aspects  would 
be.  Too  deep  and  oi)ulcnt  for  innnediate  apprehension, 
their  bearings,  nuilliform,  |)roliHc  and  ever  resourcefiil, 
kept  pace  with  the  changing  fortunes  of  mankind.  The 
longer    they    end\ired,    the    more    clearlv    they    were    aj)- 

>  •■  DcvildlMMciit  of  Cliristiiiii  DDctriiu'"  ;    p.  5. 


:     .1 


JOHN    HKNKY    NKWMAN 


557 


preheiulwl  and  cxprcssrd.  ('i)iittiii|)ljiti(ni  ami  n-flfctioii 
(gradually  absorluHl  iiu'atiiii;;s  wliicli,  implicit  from  tlu' 
first,  MHiiftiriu's  in-rsistcd  tlinmgli  many  jifiurations 
before  tliey  ln'camc  e\i)li(it.  'rnic  cNcrywlKTe,  siipreinelx 
true  of  Christianity,  tliis  principle  overthrew  the  objection 
that  the  inspired  writinjjs  definitely  (h-creed  the  limits  of 
Chri>tian  doctrine. 

The  dogmas  which  Protectants  renoimeed  as  su|H'rfliious, 
were  in  reality  the  latest  forms  of  ideas,  which,  thonj;h  not 
found  in  the  Hible,  were  incii)ient  in  the  sacred  writers  and 
in  their  readers.  This  was  a  wise  ])ro\ision,  for  Christian- 
ity, as  a  universal  relijiion,  intended  for  all  times  and  peoples, 
was  bound  to  adapt  itself  to  dill'crent  environments  or  cease 
to  be  effective.  Its  teacliinj;s  were  capable  of  infinite  api)li- 
cations  which  corresponded  with  the  social  den)ands  made 
upon  them.  Nor  were  the  straitest  orthodoxies  of  the 
Reformed  Churches  exempt  from  the  workinj;s  of  this  law 
of  ehan^e.  The  duty  of  public  worship,  the  substitution 
of  the  first  for  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  as  the  Lord's 
Day,  the  rite  of  Infant  I3a|)tism,  and  the  affirmation  tiiatthe 
Bible  alone  was  the  religion  of  I'rotestantism,  had  little  if  any 
prominence  in  the  New  Testament.  They  were  not  derived 
from  the  direct  usage  and  sanction  of  the  sacred  writings, 
but  from  the  ui. conscious  growth  of  ideas  fostered  by  the 
Christian  experience  of  nearly  twenty  centuries.  Similarly, 
numerous  other  questions  were  found  in  .Scripture  which 
Scripture  did  not  solve ;  (piestions  so  real  and  practical 
that  they  must  be  answered  by  a  divelopracnt  of  the  letter 
of  revelation.  So  much  was  this  the  case,  tiiat  it  was  impos- 
sible to  avoid  the  conviction  that  post-i)il)lical  evolutions 
of  Christian  teaching  were  i)art  of  the  providential 
purpose  of  its  Dixine  Author.  The  presence  of  need 
and  its  supply  in  nature  constituted  a  convincing  proof 
of  design  in  the  material  creation ;  in  like  numiier  the 
breaches  which  occurred  in  the  structun'  of  the  original 
creed  of  tlie  Church  made  it  i)robable  that  those  develop- 


THHKK    UK!-ir,l()rs    LKADKKS  OK  OXKORD 


('■,    . 


!  I 


;!!    ! 


im-iits  wliicli  unw  out  of  the  trutlis  surromulinn  that  cree(! 
wt-rr  intendnl  to  fill  ii|)  its  fissun-s. 

This  i)rol)al)ilitv  was  nriifonrd  liy  tlu-  considinitioii  that 
tlu'  fiitirc  Mil)lf  was  writtt-ii  iimUr  tin-  no\ iTiiaiur  of  tlio 
l)riiuii)lf  of  (U-v»'loi)iiunt  "line  upon  lino,  proa'pt  upon 
prt'crpt."  Its  n-vflations  wiTt-  disclosed  "in  sundry  parts 
and  divers  inanntTs,"  ever  new,  ever  old;  the  new  heinjj 
not  11  renewal  l)Ut  an  exj)ansion  of  the  oM.  Our  Lord  Him- 
self declared:  "Think  not  that  1  am  e<mu'  to  destroy  the 
Law  and  the  l'roi)liets.  1  am  not  come  to  destroy  i)Ut  to  ful- 
fil." Nor  could  the  exact  point  he  found,  either  in  the 
Apostolic  teachings  or  afterwards,  wli-re  the  vital  growth 
of  dogma  ceaswl  and  the  Uule  of  Faith  was  estal»lishi>d  in 
finality.  No  doctrine  was  so  complete  in  its  primary  stages 
as  t«)  require  nothing  in  addition.  The  .Vpostolic  Church 
received  the  sei-tl  of  truth,  the  nucleus  of  a  coherent  system 
of  belief;  a  living  see<l,  a  living  nucleus,  to  he  developed 
by  its  own  potentialities  reacting  ujjon  society,  and  beneath 
the  <lirection  of  the  Spirit  of  the  living  (lod. 

Thus  far  Newman  enlisted  general  assent,  and  showed 
how  magnificently  he  could  have  handled  theological  prob- 
lems in  the  light  of  the  biological  learning  he  uncon- 
sciously heralded.  But  when  he  entered  the  next  phase 
of  the  discussion  and  tried  to  justify  Roman  doctrine 
and  practice  as  the  inevitable  outcome  of  the  residual 
forces,  implicit  or  explicit,  of  New  Testament  ('hristianit\ . 
Iiis  touch  was  not  so  sure.  The  contrary  elements  injected 
by  human  malignancy  and  misdirection  have  sadly  intir- 
fered  with  the  smooth  operation  of  this  theory  in  the  realm 
of  faith  and  morals.  On  every  hand  contending  sects  arose, 
alien  to  one  another,  each  eciually  confident  of  its  direct 
and  unmixed  descent  from  the  parental  stock,  llow  was 
the  vexed  question  of  their  opposing  claims  to  be  adjudi- 
cated V  Newman  replied,  by  an  infallible  Church.  "In 
proportion  to  the  prol)ability  of  true  developments 
in   the   Divine  Scheme,  so  is  the  i)robability  also  of  tlu' 


>^'l 


fll 


.K)HN    HKAUV    NKWMAN 


nnO 


Hpi>4>iiittiifnt  ill  that  schciiic  of  nw  ixtcnial  aiitliiirit,\ 
t<)  «K'('ul»'  uiMiii  tluiii,  tluTfhy  M'i)aratiii),'  tliciii  from 
the  mass  of  inert'  lniinaii  s|M(iilatinii,  extra va>;aiui',  eor- 
ruptioii,  and  error,  in  and  out  nl'  wliicli  they  >;ro\\."  ' 
There  is  small  ehanee  of  es<a|)e  from  hi>  coiuliision  for  either 
Rutnanists  or  Protestants  who  iih'iitify  reh^'ioiis  life  with 
the  aeeeptanee  of  chtetrinal  fornnihe.  An  iiifaliilile  revehi- 
tioii  committed  to  tlie  care  of  falhl)le  en^todian^  is  only  a 
larfje  indication  of  the  exasperating;  ri^ks  of  ultra-ortho- 
doxy. To  the  precise  and  iojjieal  intellect  of  Newman  such 
a  revelation,  when  subjected  to  the  tlioii>aiid  and  one  inter- 
pretations of  private  juil^rment,  was  too  variahle  a  ccmipass 
for  safe  navigation.  \lv  ar^ned  that  certain  ("atholic  doc- 
trines professing  to  he  Apostolic,  and  possessing  liiuli  an- 
ticpiity,  were  uni\  crsally  considered  in  »-a(li  successive  aj;e  as 
the  echo  of  doctrines  of  the  times  iimnediattly  preceding, 
and  thus  were  continually  throv  n  \r,u-k  to  a  date  indefinitely 
early.  Moreover,  they  formed  one  hody,  so  that  to  reject 
one  was  to  disparajje  the  rest.  They  also  o<(iipieil  the  whole 
field  of  theolojty  and  left  nothing'  to  he  sujjplied,  except  in 
detail,  hy  any  other  system.  I'Vom  these  statements  he  drew 
the  inference  that  the  nearest  approach  to  the  relijjious 
sentiment  and  Kthox  of  the  Karly  Church,  even  of  the 
Apostles  and  Prophets,  was  to  he  found  in  Roman  teachinj;. 
All  would  ajrree,  he  urj^ed,  tiiat  Klijah,  leremiah,  the  Bap- 
tist, and  St.  Paul  were  in  their  liistory  and  mode  of  life  more 
like  a  Dominican  preacher,  a  Jesuit  missionary,  or  a  Carmelite 
friar;  moreJikeSt.  Torihio,  .'>t.  Vincent  Ferrer,  St.  Francis 
Xavier,  or  St.  Ali)hons(.  Lijiuori,  than  any  individuals,  or 
classes  of  men,  that  could  lie  found  in  otiicr  comnumions.'- 
Why  all  nhuitld  a<;ree  to  this  monopoly  of  resenil)Iance  does 
not  appear.  John  \Ve>le_\ ,  Henry  Martyii,.\(loiiiram  Judson, 
David  Livinj;stoiie.  iJi>liop  William  Taylor,  and  a  host  of 
other  Protestant  worthies  had  many  external  features 
in  common  with  the  Hihlical  heroes  named. 


'  "Development  of  C"liristiuii  Doilriiio"  ;    p.  7s. 


Ibid.,  pp.  m-\m. 


1 1 


'3 


5-!    i    Id 


,,;  * 


l!     ,1   '^ 


lifl 


i  '* 


i 


;i'    ^ 


H    1  ui 

-1;  u!  I 


i   ' 


r  ! 


;;  >  ^  ' 


ll 


HI 


r  ! 


OiH)      TIIUKK    IlKLKIIOl  s   l.KADKKS  OF  OXKOUl) 

Hf   iu\t  tniiiiuratfil    llic   IVatiirt>   \\lii<li   tv«Ty   ncnuiiu' 
(le%doi)iiicnt  nf  Christian  uitas  |)nM'Mti'il  and  l>y  wiiicli  it 
could    he   rtcnuiii/td  :     pn-xTvatioii   nf  tv|H'.   CKiitiiuiity   of 
priiiciplr^,   iKiwcr  of  a>siiiiilatioii,   lojtical   m-ciiu-ik  i-.  aiitici- 
piition  of  its  fiitiiff,  <oiis(Tvativt'  action  njton  its  past,  and 
rlironic  viptr.     NtillitT  Tiioinas  1  Iiixlfv  nor  I  hrluTt  S|M'nirr, 
who  liad  tin-  advantage  of  thi-  i-voiutionary  liypothtsis,  cx- 
(rll»'<l    Nrvvinan   in    tiu'   invention  and  siiitahility  of  stit-n- 
tific  n.iiniiu  latiirr.     Tiu-  rt-st  of  the  volume  was  devoted  to 
applying  tliese  seven  tests  to  tlie  doctrines  of  tlie  l{oinan 
("atholic  Churcli.     An   exten(h'd    ar>;unient   on   tiie   first     - 
the  preservation  of  type       was  i)refa(ed  by  the  following 
intpiiry  :  "Wliat   is  Cirristianity's  original  t\\)v'f  and    lias 
that  type  l)e«'n   preserved   in  the  develoi)inents  commonly 
called  Catholic?     Let  ns  take  it  as  the  world  now  views  it  in 
its  a^e;   iind  let  us  take  it  as  the  world  once  view»'d  it  in  its 
youth;   and  let  us  see  whether  then-  he  any  an-iit  ditlerence 
iMtween  the  early  ami  the  later  description  of  it.  .   .  .     There 
is  a  relifiious  comnumion  claiininfj  a  divine  commission,  and 
holding;  all  other  relii;ious  IkmHcs  around  jt  heretical  or  in- 
fidel;    it    is   a   well-orpmi/ed,    wclUliscipliued   IxMly ;    it   is 
a  sort  of  secret  society,  hindin^;  tojtether  its  members  by 
influences    and    by    ennajiemcnts    which    it    is   difficult    for 
stranj^ers  to  ascertain.     It  is  spread  ov.r  the  known  world  ; 
it  may  be  weak  or  insini'ificant  locally,  but  it  is  stronj:  on 
the  whole  from  iis  continuity ;    it  may  l)c  smaller  thaif  all 
other  religious  IkmHcs  tofretlu-r,  but  it  is  larger  than  each 
scparat«'ly.     It  is  a  natural  enemy  to  j;overnn»ents  external 
to  itself ;    it  is  intolerant  and  eiiKrissin^:,  and  tends  to  a  new 
motlelinf;  of  society;    it  breaks  laws,  it  divides  families.     It 
is   a   j;ross    superstition ;    it    is    cliarj;ed    with    the    fonle-t 
crimes  ;   it  is  <lcsi)iscd  by  the  intellect  of  the  day  ;   it  is  fri;,dit- 
ful  to  the  ima^'inatioM  of  many.     Anil  there  is  but  one  com- 
munion such.     Place  this  dcscri|)tion  before  Pliny  or  .lulian. 
.  .  .     Each  one  know.s  at  once  who  is  meant  by  it."  ' 

'  '■  Di'vclopiiii'iit  cjf  ('liristi:in  Uoctriiiu";    pp.  -'07-JO.S. 


JOHN    IIKNUV    NKWMAN 


561 


III  ciiliirttiiijt  ii|H>ii  the  --(((iikI  iioti-  loiuimiity  of  prin- 
ciples the  following;  idciin  were  cvoKnl  fn>m  the  doc- 
trine of  tile  iiiciiriijitioii :  Duiiuki.  or  >Mpiriiiitiirjil  truths 
committed  to  liimiiiii  media ;  laitli,  ii>  the  iie(«'s>ar\ 
correlative  of  donma ;  ThiiiUitjii,  \\hi<h  wa-^  the  output 
of  the  hinnan  mind  operating  upon  the  tr-ith-,  jjiveii  hy 
do;;ma  to  faith;  the  Socnniiriitdl  i>rlnrii,h,  which  <'on- 
veyed  the  supreme  >;ift  of  (lod  in  the  material  and  vi>ilile 
medium  of  our  Lord's  physical  luMiy  ;  the  neces--ar\  use  of 
Miintirnl  l.iiiKjiKKir,  since  \vord>  were  iiive^t;d  with  a  >jicra- 
mental  ollice ;  the  Siuictijlnifinn  of  (inirr  ;  the  practice  of 
Axcilii'ixiii.  :  tlie  po^-^ilile  Huliiir.t.i  iif  Miittrr  a-  well  a>  mind. 
Will  aii\  one  >ay,  a>kcd  Newman,  that  all  thc>c  principles, 
directly  ari>ini;  out  of  the  New  T«>tament  doi  trine  of  the 
Incarniition,  ha\c  not  Ix-en  retained  in  \  i;;orous  action  in 
the  rhurch  at  all  times"/  and  he  pHxcedcd  to  an>\ver  the 
(|Uestion  in  a  scries  of  historical  sur\ey>. 

I*a>sin;;  over  his  di>eu>Mon  of  the  thinl  note  of  a  p-miine 
develo|)ment,  we  con c  to  the  fourth,  that  of  lo«;ical  se- 
<iuence,  w  ith  w  hieli  wicw  can  pcrha]»  l»c>i  he  conchuled, 

since  the  crux  of  In      :r^'um«'nt  lies  here.     If  the  doctrines 
of  modern    Uoinan    ('atholici>m   wen-   lof^ical   >e((U'  t' 

the  t<'achin;;s  of  Christ  and  the  .\postlcs,  there  was  nm. 
further  to  he  said;  it  would  only  remain  for  tlioM-  who  re- 
ceived the  New  Totament  to  do  as  N  wmaii  did,  secede  to 
Home.  In  illustration  of  one  doctrine  leailin;;  to  another, 
he  used  the  instance  of  Maptism.  In  the  primitive  Church, 
the  .'^acrament  of  Hajjlism  was  held  to  convex  incstimahle 
henefits  to  the  soul,  its  di^tinuui^hin;;  irift  heiii);  the  pletiarv 
for^iiveiiess  of  sins  past.  The  Sacrament  wa^  never  repeated. 
How  then,  >ince  there  ua-  lint  one  li;iiiti-iii  fur  the  reir  - 
sion  of  sins,  w.h  the  <;uilt  of  |in-t-liapti-iii,ii  -ins  to  c 
removed  y  Or  was  there  no  hope  for  -nch  -inners?  Ditler- 
enccs  of  opinion  aro-c.  Sonic  conceived  that  tlii'  Church 
was  empowered  to  ^Tant  one.  and  only  one,  rcronciliittion  to 
hapti/ed  trans;;res>nr-.      In  tlie  We-t,  idolatry,  iimrder,  and 


r»()i;      TUUKK    KKI.KilOl  S    I.KADKUS  OK  OXKOUIi 


. 


i        i 


luliilttTv,  if  rniiimittf<l  iifttT  luipti^iii,  wiTf  liv  iiiaiiy  lu'l«l 
iinpanlDiialili-.  Itiit  a»  ('liri>tiaiiitv  >|ircail,  aixl  pitlii-n-tl 
ciiiivrrts  (if  cviTv  kiiul,  a  riiorr  iiuTcifiil  rule  );railiially 
nhtaiiu'il.  I'ciiaiicfs  wtTt-  apiMdiitnl,  aii<l  In  tlu-  «ii<l  of 
tln'  tliini  crntiirv  a-,  iiianv  as  fmir  (lt'>;r»ts  of  iM-naiirtMamc 
into  \o^iif,  tliroii^li  wliicli  olVciKlt-rs  lia<l  to  |>a»  in  onlcr  to 
a  reconciliation.  'I'lic  lcn>;tli  and  -.c\crity  of  tin-  jMiiancc 
varied.  Sometime^,  for  scrion-.  tranN>;rc>>or>  it  was  lifelong, 
witliont  an\  rcniis-<ion  ;  in  other  ca^cs  it  \va>  for  a  |M-riiMl 
of  yj-ars.  Miit  tlic  liisliop  ahvays  liail  tlic  |M>\vcr  of  al»- 
hrcviatin^'  ami   altirin;;  it. 

The  fnrther  cpiestion  aroM-,  Were  thcM'  pnnishinents 
only  si>;ns  of  repentance,  or  were  they  also  in  any  sense 
sati  faction^  for  the  >in-<  coinniitti'd "'  If  tiie  former,  then 
it  was  in  the  discretion  of  the  Church  to  remit  them  as  soon 
as  true  <ontrition  was  discoxfred.  Miit  if  tliey  were  also 
an  expiation  made  to  the  .Vlniij;hty  Judjie,  how  then?  " '• 
camiot  Im-  donlited,"  ^aid  Newman,  "that  the  I'athers  con- 
sidered penance  as  not  a  mere  expression  of  contrition,  hut 
as  ai'  act  ilone  directly  towanU  (lod  and  a  means  of  avert- 
ing: His  anpr."  Suppose,  such  heinj;  the  case,  that  <leath 
intervened  hcforc  the  iilnia  jxiiiitrntid  was  accomplislied, 
how  and  wliei;  would  the  residue  'c  exacted?  According;  to 
Uishop  Kaye,  whom  Newman  ((Uoteil,  Clement  of  Alexamlria 
answered  this  cpiestion  very  plainlv .  "Clement  distin- 
nuislies  hetween  sins  coiuTiiitted  heforj-  and  after  baptism  : 
tlie  former  are  n-mitted  at  haptisiu;  the  latter  are  pur;;ed 
hy  <liscipline.  .  .  .  Tlie  necessity  of  this  purifying  di>- 
cipline  is  such,  that  if  it  iloes  not  take  plai-e  in  this  life,  it 
must  after  death,  and  is  tlieii  to  l)e  eife<tcd  In  fire,  not  hy 
a  destructive,  liut  a  discriminatin;;,  fire,  pervadinjj  tiie  soul 
wiiich    |)asscs    thronj;h    it."  '     .\fter    further    references    to 


'  ClrriM'iil.  (  Ili|..  IJ,  We  .Iu  111. I  ic.-ill.  .iii'l  lia\.'  failfcl  to  liiid  in  ( '1.  in- 
fill ri  Miiik>.  .iii.v  |i{i~-,ti;c  111  ~iip|iiiii  111  Ui<li()|i  K:iyi'''<  slaU'iin'iii .  \t 
iIh- ciiil  of  llii-.'Uli  rli:ipliT  of  Ihc  fmirlli  Imok  of  Tin-  Slroiii:il.i.  (  Iniirhi 
fi;iM  llir  folliiwinj  oil  |iost-h;i|ili^iii;il  >iii,  lull  iiotliinu  'iiiiii;t'sti\('  of  piirir.i- 
tor.v  :      "  riiric  ;iri'   t«o    iiirllioili  of    inrmtioii.    llir     iiistriiili\  i'.    ami    tlir 


M 


,M)IIN    IIKNUV    NKWMAN 


:Ah\ 


carl,  ("liiinli  \\ril<T>,  Nrwiium  cihk  Imlcil  :  "I'liiis  we  -.«•«• 
Ii<»w,  IIS  titiH'  wt'iil  nil,  tlir  iliM'triiM'  i>(  l'iiri;;it(ir\  xmi-.  Iiniiikjlit 
lioiiir  to  tlir  iniii<l>  of  tilt'  I'aitlifiil  ii>  :i  |iortioii  or  form  of 
I'diaiKT  iliH-  lor  |io>t-l»a|>ti>iiiiiI  ^iii;"  ami  attain,  "Wlu-ii 
an  aiwxMT  lia<i  to  Ix'  inadi-  to  tlir  (|ii<'>iioti,  liow  i>  |Mi>.t- 
liii|itisiiial  sill  to  lit'  rriiiitti'il,  tlurr  \\a^  an  aliuiiilaiicc  if 
|)iis>.am's  in  Scrintiirt'  to  makf  ra^v  to  tlir  laitli  of  tin-  iiiqiiirfr 
tin-  ilrliiiitivf  (jicisioii  nt'  tlir  Cliiinli." 

Wi-  an-  tlii'ii  carrinl  on  to  tlir  (ioitriiic  of  Mcritoriiuis 
Works  as  tlir  corojlarv  to  that  of  I'lir^jatorv .  For  if  jMist- 
liaptisiiial  -ills  were  drlits  wliicli  iiiiHt  lie  |>aiil  to  tlu-  utter- 
most fartliiii^:,  \irtiits,  no  l(»,  pa^Mil  to  tiii'  (red it  siiU-  of 
tlif  liook  of  life,  ami  iiii^lit  lie  draw  n  upon  .lotli  fortlu'  suiils 
i'uiK  rriicd  and  forotlnr>.  I'inall.v ,  Mona-tici-iii  was  liroii^tlit 
forward  iis  a  lo^jical  M(|iitiicc  of  i'tnaiicc  Tlir  pciiitriitial 
oltsrr\aiui's  of  imli\idiiaU  were  iu(c^>aril\  on  a  lar;;rr  seal*- 
as  the  C'liristiaii  ('oiiiiiiiinity  incrcaM'd  in  niiinlirrs,  and  tlic 
Cluircli,  divinely  ^cnided,  ailoptcd  tin-  ini|Kirtant  principle 
of  ecoiioiiiie  scit-iiic  tliat  i\(T_\  tiling  -lioiild  lie  turned  to 
a('<'oiiiit  and  no  wa-te  allowed  :  >lie  j;a\e  to  penances  tlie 
form  of  works,  wlietlier  for  lier  defense  or  for  tlie  spiritual 
and  tein|)oral  lieiiefit  of  inaiikind.  Tliii^  in  (lean-in^  tlieir 
souls  from  sin  the  peiiitt-'it  monks  and  iiiiiis  were  at  the  same 
time  serving  the  Church  ami  himiaiiity. 

Traces  of  the  art;iiment  from  the  theory  of  develoiHiient 
were  found  in  Christian  Apoloptics  Ion;;  hefore  Nev  tiian 
employeil  it  to  wall  iij)  the  \'ia  Media,  i'ctax  iii>  and  Moliler 
had  sulisti'.ntially  --hown  him  how  to  use  it  ;  Pascal  had 
made  references  to  it.  the  ei^rhteeiith  century  divines  had 
dw'i  It  on  it  to  some  extent,  and  (lilihoii's  assault  upon  it 
ill  his  history  had  ocoine  famous.  |{ut  what  Darwin  after- 
wards did  for  the  exoliitioiiary  hypothesis  in  hiolo^ry,  in  a 
less  decree  Newman  did  for  it   in  thcolo^jy.     lie  raised  its 

priiiiilivc.  wliirli  we  li:i\i'  i:illi'.|  til.-  ili-ipliirirv  It  .iiii'lii  ti.  Ill'  kiiipwii. 
tlioii.  Ihiit  tliii-ii>  whip  f:ill  iiitii  ~iii  MftiT  K:iiiti>iii  «  Vol  T>>iWi  ;iif  iliu-c  will!  ;irf 
sul)jpctiMl  ti)  ili>ci|iliiic  ;  for  tlic  iIi'imI-  ■Imii'  lii'fi.ri'  arc  rrrmtli'il.  anil  tlidw 
doiit'  uftor  ar«'  imrdfil." 


'  1 
S 


r)()4       TMItKK    ItKLICIOUS    LKADKUS   OF   OXFORD 


■  »    , 


iiiiportiiiK'c  for  tli<"  j)HrjMisc^  df  Catliolic  (Iffriisc  and  aj;i;rfs- 
sioii,  and  placcil  Hij;li  Aiij;li(aiis  in  an  awkward  dili'iiimii. 
'riic  only  way  of  cxiipr  from  liis  iiicxorahlc  coiiclusions 
was  to  reject  liis  prciniscs,  wliicli  w;is  exactly  wliat  tliey 
did  not  projM^c  to  do.  Altlioiij^li  based  on  tiu-  identical 
principle  of  an  external  and  alisolnte  autliority,  Tractarian- 
isni  and  llonianisni  were  now  i)laced  in  powerful  contrast. 
.\s  a  nominal  .Vni;lican,  Newman  exi>n>ed  tlie  illo;;ical 
nature  and  illejiitimate  claims  of  the  fell(»wsliip  he  had  al- 
readx  inwardly  forsaken.  'I'hose  who  did  not  admit  his 
assuinption>,  whether  Anjilicans  or  l*rote>tant>  in  j;eneral, 
were  not  involved  in  their  result.  Once  his  Itasic  plea  for 
an  inerrant  docmnent,  whi.  h  necessitated  an  inerrant  inter- 
preter to  unfold  its  ^terminal  verities,  was  ^'ranted,  the  force  of 
sequence  wo\ild  carry  men  all  the  way  with  him.  Deny  him 
this,  or  e\fna  part  of  it,  and  tlu-  wholi-  of  his  cleverly  con- 
structed fabric  fell  asunder.  That  ( "hristian  e\])erience  of  the 
past  was  of  the  essence  of  authority  few,  if  any,  of  his  ojipo- 
nents  for  a  moment  floulited,  and  rcxohitionary  iconoclasm  wa> 
as  repu<;nant  to  them  a^  it  was  to  him.  Vet  such  an  atithor- 
ity  was  not  >o  determinate  as  to  exclude  them  from  looking 
toward  the  future  for  lij;ht  and  wisdom,  nor  could  it  hrini; 
e\cry  motion  of  their  minds  under  slavish  sul)jection  to  the 
past.  Men  nnist  he  allowed  to  make  trial  of  those  new  ways 
which  are  in  keepinjr  with  the  promptin<;s  of  Christian  in- 
telli;;ence  and  ("hristian  conscience.  To  make  this  trial  is 
to  incur  the  risks  of  mi>un(lerstan(lini,' ;  to  refuse  to  make  it 
is  either  to  surrender  relij^ion  altoj^ethcr,  or  to  relinciui-l!  the 
ho])c  of  assimilating;  the  a^>ured  results  of  knowled^'c  and 
the  slow  achievements  of  moral  etl'ort.  These  considerations 
point  to  that  kinplom  of  (lod  within  men  which  ("hri>t 
Himself  proclaimed,  and  tlu'V  also  imply  a  divine  and 
ceaseless  revelation  in  the  i;rowinj;  human  consciousnes> 
The  touchstone  that  discriminates  hetween  the  true  and 
the  false,  the  essential  and  the  accitlental,  in  inoral- 
and   religion,  is   not    the  >ole  rij;ht    ami   property  of  tradi- 


!   I 


V\ 


fh 


JOHX    HKNUY    NKVVMAX 


505 


tion,  nor  of  the  FiitluTs,  nor  vvvn  of  the  Scriptures. 
Objective  uutliority  in  rclif;ion  jjoes  lu-yond  tliesc  and  is 
vest!  1  in  the  I'erson  of  (mmI  and  of  Jesus  Christ,  Whom  lie 
has  s,  it.  In  operation,  this  an  i.)rity  is  not  .;  fixture  of 
chronology,  nor  a  matter  of  anticiuity,  l)iit  tlie  voice  and 
spirit  of  the  Kternal  speaking  throuK'li  all  the  media  of  His 
life  in  the  race,  and  not  therefore  sei)arahle  from  tiie  sub- 
jective authority  of  conscience.'  This  reasoninjj  was  fatal 
to  Xewnian's  position;  and  he  would  have  none  of  it,  nor 
would  he  extend  the  idea  of  or^'anic  development  beyond 
the  arbitrary  limits  he  had  assi<;ned  it.  Thus,  althoiifjli  his 
system  was  tlie  legitimate  product  of  his  theory,  it  ignored 
some  main  truths  relative  to  (lod  and  the  creature.  Admis- 
sible in  the  courts  of  ri<,'i(l  ecclesiiisticism,  his  case  broke 
down  in  the  wider  court  of  hinnan  life.  He  was  not  strong 
«'nouj,'h  to  face  doubt  and  then  rise  beyond  it.  In  an  era 
which  pla<jued  him  with  justifiable  fears  he  could  not  lift 
liis  faith  to  thoM'  serene  certainties  which  need  no  confirma- 
tion of  the  reason,  and  in  confusing'  dojima  with  faith,  he, 
who  was  i)erhaps  the  finest  relijjious  nature  of  the  century, 
faile<l  the  Church  universal  in  the  hour  of  trial.  .\f;nos- 
tics  saw  in  him  a  superstitious  mind,  accompanied  l)y 
symptoms  of  admirable  intellectual  ( larity  and  depth. 
I'ltramontanes  ([uestioned  his  ri.uht  to  imjMign,  ever  so 
slif;litly,  the  (•han;;eles^ness  of  the  decrees  of  tra(liti;)n.  The 
more  liberal  Roman  Catholics  afterwards  rejoiced  in  his 
Kssay  as  the  basis  f(»r  further  modifications  of  donnui  in 
behalf  of  culture.  Tractarian>  lamented  hi^  discharjre  of 
what  appeared  to  him  an  unavoidable  duty,  linked,  as  it 
was,  with  the  semblance  of  disloyalty  and  the  wreckinj;  of 
their  ho|)es.  In  the  Cnited  States  of  .\merica  the  volume 
was  discussed  by  the  I'nitarians,  and  Dr.  IJrownson  (pioted 
it  as  evidence  that  tlie  Trinitarian  doctrine  wa-;  not  primi- 
tive but  a  (leveloi)ment  of  the  third  <cntury.  The  Roman 
Catholic  bishoDs  of  the   Republic  declared  that  it  was  half 

'  ,I;mics  .MartiinMii  ;    ■' i;ss.i\s,   Ui'vicw-,  iiinl  ArMn'ssi's",    \'n\.  1,  p.  J4s. 


I 


I    ! 


iM'i 


Hi  J 


<* 


t    '' 


\    ' 


\  n 


560      THREE   UELUilOl  S  LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

(^atholicisin  and  half  infi.li-lity.  It  was  scam-ly  surprisiiip. 
remarks  Sir  William  U..borts..n  Xicoil,  that  after  h:s  seces- 
sion the  theological  guides  of  the  I'apaey  thought  that  New- 
man should  he  a  learner,  not  a  teacher. 

The  mental  and  pin  sical  strain  entailed  upon  hmi  was  evi- 
denced in  a  letter  of  June,  Is:?.'.,  which  he  wrote  to  Mr.  W  lUiam 
Froude:    -Di-l  I  tell  you  I  was  preparmg  a  hook  ot  some 
sort  to  advertise  people  how  things  sttx.d  with  me.'     Never 
has  anvthing  cost  me  (1  think)  so  nnich  liard  thought  an.l 
anxietv,  though  when  I  got  to  the  end  of  n>y  '  Anans   tlur- 
teen  vears  ago,  I  ha.l  no  sleep  for  a  week,  and  was  tamtmg 
awav  or  something  like  it  day   after  (ta> .   .   -   .1  haNc 
not  "written  a  senteiue  which   will  stand    or  hard  y  so 
\s    it    approached    compk'tion    he    sto    i  at    his   desk    tor 
hours,  a  pale,  thin,  nearly  diaphanous  form,  his  face  almost 
transparent,  his  wearied  hand  revising  and  correcting  what 
he  had  put  down.     The  en<l  of  his  strange,  unearthly  pil- 
grimage from  Calvinistic  Kvangelicalism  to  the  shelter  he 
found  in  Rome  wa^  in  sight.     Father  Dommic,  the  Italian 
Passionist  friar,  wa>  expected  in  Oxford  i)n  October  S,  1S4.> ; 
and    although  Newman's  associates  at  Littlemore  did  not 
denv  that  he  would  hccoine  a  Catholic,  they  were  ignorant 
of  liis  intentions  in  detail  and  wondere.1  when  it  would  occur 
That  afternoon   Dalgairns  and  St.  John  set  out  to  Oxford 
to  meet  the  Passionist  Fatlu-r,  and  Newman  said  to  Dal- 
gairns in  a  verv  low  an.l  (piiet  tone,  "When  >()U  see  your 
friend,  will  you"  tell  him  that  I  wish  him  to  receive  me  int.. 
the  Church"  of  Christ?"     Dalgairns  answered  "^es,"  an. 
no  m.)re.-    The  .vening  drew  on  .lark  an.l  stormy,  the  wm.l 
blew  in  gusts,  rain   f.ll   in  t.>rrents;    that  night  Newman 
sece<l.-d   to  the    Roman    Catlu.li.-   Church.     At  almost    the 
same  time  Renan  arrive.1  in  Pari>,  ba.le  far.>well  to  M.  Mi  - 
pice,  put  otf  his  deri.al    habit,  an.l    ren.nince.l  the  taitli 

■Wilfred   Ward:    '•Life  uf  .John  Uciiiy  Cardinal   Newman";    Vol.   1, 
pp.  S().s7. 

'/ftid,  Vol.  I,  p.  93. 


I  i 


t: 


JOHN    HKXUY   NKVVMAN 


')))/ 


Newman  accepted ;  an  liistorical  ciiiiicideiice  wlikli,  as  Dr. 
William  Barry  lias  observed,  "  will  ret;i>ter  itsconsequeneesfor 
a  loiij;  time  to  come."  '  Tlie  iiiidni;;lit  scene  in  the  little 
chapel  where  Newman  made  his  confession  was  deeply 
impressive :  he  was  so  overcome  that  when  it  was  over  he 
could  not  stand  alone,  and  his  comi)anions  led  him  out  of 
the  tiny  Oratory.  The  Knal  sejjaration  had  heen  hefore  his 
imagination  continually ;  he  had  reflected  upon  it  with 
such  intensity  and  insistence,  he  had  thought  so  constantly 
of  the  consternation,  tiie  dismay,  the  sorrow,  it  would 
hriuf;  to  his  Tractarian  associates,  that  when  the  deed  was 
done,  he  had  already  larjjely  paid  the  penalties  it  exacted. 
The  bitterness  of  his  death  to  Anglicanism  was  i)ast,  the 
future  was  tinged  with  traiupiil  hope  and  assurance.  Xor 
did  he  ever  afterwards  rigret  what  here  occurred.  His 
proud  hn|H'rious  spirit  was  fated  to  endure  nuiny  chasten- 
ings,  yev  'n  seasons  of  the  most  Inmiiliating  (lci)ression  he  re- 
ferred to  ills  second  conversion  with  uii.^iiaken  confidence, 
and  with  an  accent  of  conviction  it  would  he  disiionorahle 
to  (piestion  ;  me  was  for  him  the  only  safe  anchorage; 
Protestantism  the  dreariest  of  ])ossihle  religions."  He 
never  saw  Oxford  again,  except  at  a  distance,  until  he  re- 
visited the  city  after  an  ai)scnce  of  more  than  thirty  years. 
But  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  his  residence  at  Kdghaston.  hung 
an  engraving  of  the  place  displaying  the  RadclilVe  <lome  with 
its  attendant  spires  and  towers,  and  under  it  was  inscribed 
the  legend  fnmi  the  prophet  Kzekiel,  "Can  these  bones  live?" 
According  to  Newman,  they  coultl  not,  save  through  ac- 
ceptance of  his  theological  creed. 

The  Knglish  Churcii  received  the  news  of  his  departure 
with  mingled  feelings.  Many  openly  rejoiced  that  he  was 
gone,  others  reganled  him  as  an  apo>tate;  his  closest  friends, 
although  they  had  expected  his  action,  placed  their  hope 
against  their  fear,  lest  fear  should  biroine  despair.  I'p  to 
this  hour  they  had  met  with  not  a  few  dis.isters  but  none 

'  "Ciirdiiuil  Ninmiaii"  :    p.  •>!. 


!i 


i-iih::  il' 


568      THUKK    UKLIOIOIIS   LKADKHS  OF  OXFORD 

si'tmed  irri'trifvjil)lf.  Tin-  inort'  saiimiinc  s|)irits  still 
helii'V'.'d  tliat  till- pn)s|H'(t  iiuKlit  cliaiij;*' ;  An^'licaiiisin  mijjht 
retain  him;  the  Movniu-nt  iiiij;lit  prosper.  Now  tiiey  were 
uiuieeeived,  and  tiieir  party  overthrown.  "It  was  more 
than  a  (h't'eat,"  said  Dean  C'lmreh,  "it  was  a  rout  in  whieli 
they  were  <lriven  from  tlie  field."  Principal  Shairp  spoke 
of  the  «'vent  and  of  the  sentnnents  it  evoked  both  in  those 
who  lo\t'd  and  those  who  feared  Newman,  in  the  follow- 
ing; wonls.  "IIow  vividly  comes  hack  tiie  remem- 
brance of  the  achinj;  blank,  the  awfnl  pause,  which  fell  on 
Oxford  when  that  voice  had  ceased,  and  we  knew  that  we 
shonld  iiear  it  no  more.  It  was  as  when,  to  oni'  kneelin;;  by 
iiiKht,  in  the  silence  of  some  vast  cathedral,  the  fjreat  bell 
tolling  solenuily  overiiead  has  suddenly  j;one  still.  To  many, 
no  doubt,  the  pause  was  not  a  lonj;  continuance.  Soon  they 
bejian  to  look  this  w.i.  nd  that  for  new  teachers,  and  to 
rush  vehementlv  to  the  npjxjsite  extremes  of  thouf^ht.  But 
there  were  those  who  could  not  so  li^ditly  forget.  All  the 
more  these  withdrew  into  themsehes.  On  Sunday  forenoon 
and  eveninjis,  in  the  retirement  of  their  rooms,  the  printed 
words  of  those  marvelous  sermons  would  thrill  them  till 
they  wept  abundant  and  most  sweet  tears.  Siiu-e  then 
man\  voices  of  i)owerful  teaclu-rs  they  may  have  heard,  but 
none  that  ever  penetrated  the  soul  like  his."  ' 

The  limits  imposed  on  this  volume  prevent  us  from 
discussing  Newman's  after  life,  and  in  view  of  the  recent 
publication  of  his  Biography  by  \Vilfre<l  Wartl,  to  do  more 
than  barely  indicate  its  outline  would  be  an  impertinence. 
lie  faced  the  critical  years  when  Pius  IX  was  reigning, 
when  Maiming  was  omnipotent  in  English  (^atholicism,  and 
the  Infallioilists  were  "an  aggressive  and  insolent  faction." 
The  fires  of  the  Vatican  Council,  kindled  on  the  ruins  of 
the  TemiH)ral  Power,  may  have  tested  .Newman's  allegiance 
to  the  Papacy,  but  they  did  not  tc  .eh  lii>  Catholicism.     Vet 

'Wilfred  \V;ir(l ;  "Tho  Life  of  Johu  Heury  Cardiual  Newman";  Vol. 
I,  pp.  77-7.S. 


H 


JOHX  iip:xi{Y  xkwman 


560 


he  c'oiihl  not  luivc  known  wliiit  ii\\;iittil  liini,  or  tluit  lu-  would 
l)i'C'ome  as  a  discrownrd  kin^;.  and  a  forsaken  proplict 
amonj;st  his  Roman  hrttlircn.  "Had  lie  di(<l  directly  after 
his  sixty-tliird  hirtliday,"  siys  Dr.  Ward,  "at  an  age  which 
wonlfl  ha,ve  fallen  not  very  far  short  of  the  allotted  days  of 
man  on  earth  his  career  would  ha\c  li\e(l  in  hi>tory  as 
endinjj  in  the  saddest  of  failures.  His  un|)aralleled  emi- 
nence in  is;!"  would  have  heen  contrasted  hy  hi>t(rians  with 
his  utter  insij;nificance  in  \S{\:\.  His  hio;;raphy  would  have 
heen  a  trap'dy."  '  One  of  the  main  reason>  for  the  apathy 
and  even  ()]>en  hostility  he  encountered  was  his  curious 
reversion  to  liberalism.  Contrary  to  ids  .\ni;lican  prece- 
dents he  stood  increasingly  for  a  hroader  policy  and  looked 
with  distrust  and  dislike  upon  the  Syllabus  and  I'apal 
Infallibility.  The  very  firmness  of  ld>  new  foundation 
granted  him  unusual  freedom  ;  he  felt  that  he  could  afford 
to  relax  and  inclin<'  toward  the  sliade>  of  opp(»sition. 
This  deterndnation  was  shown  in  his  ill-timed  ell'ort  to 
impress  uixni  tiir  authorities  the  need  of  his  doctrine 
of  organic  develooment,  and  by  hi>  ndsunder>tandings  with 
the  Irish  hierarchv,  the  Roman  epi>co|)ate  in  Kngland, 
with  Cardinal  Manidng,  and  many  others.  Kverything  to 
which  he  set  himself  came  to  grief.  The  finest  mind  of 
the  (^atholic  faith  was  consigned  to  a  harshness  of  exile 
which  set'med  to  have  no  chance  of  releas<'.  .\ccust'd  by 
ritramontanes  such  as  \V.  (1.  Ward  and  Mamdng  of  liike- 
warmness  toward  the  Holy  See,  Newman  coiui)lained  that 
one  who  was  not  extravagant  was  found  treacherous,  and 
that  those  who  frustrated  his  plans  regardi'd  e^ cry  intellec- 
tual man  as  being  on  his  wa\'  to  perdition.  The  fact  was, 
he  had  been  ac(;u>tomed  to  command,  and  now  felt  it  exceed- 
ingly difhcnit  to  ol)ey.  To  his  -uiuriors,  at  home  and 
especially  abroad,  he  remained  an  enigma.  Their  knowl- 
edge of  his  anteceilents  was  of  the  vaguest,  they  felt  no 
particular  interest  in  Ids  i)ldio<opld(al  and  theological  spec- 

'  "Lifr  (if  .I..I111  H.'iiry  <':iraiii:il   Nr«iM;ii.":    \'nl.  I,  |.p.  Ul   11. 


■)70      TIIUKK    UKMC.Iors    LKADKHS  OK  OXKOHD 


;i 


im 


',  ■■[ 


!i 


Illations,  tlu-y  rrscnti-d  liis  i)rnviiuial  Oxford  ways,  and  tin- 
Ki\>;lisli  of  wliicli  Uv  was  a  iiiasttT  was  an  iinkiiowii  toiimit- 
at  Home.     I  If  l>orc  hinisflf  in  silcnrr  and  outward  siihmis- 
sioii.  l)ul  till-  ordeal  worr  o|i  liini ;    his  lu-altli  declined,  his 
( oMiitenanee  elianfied,  he  even  made  ready  for  death.     Then 
ill  ISCtl  <Niiiie  ("liaHes  Kinjr.sley's  headlong;,  random  remarks 
conceriiiiij;  him,  and  Newman.  Kndinn  his  honesty  assiiiled, 
laid  aside  the  verdict  he  had  ])revioiisly  passed  upon  himself 
as  "  an  evaporatinj;  mist  of  the  morning;, "  and  told  the  world 
the  plain  story  of  his  life  in  the  "Apologia."     Kortunately 
for  his  fame,  he  afterwards  delete<l  some  opeiiiiij;  phrases 
of  the  vohinie,  and  it  went  forth  to  hriiij;  hack  to  him  the 
heart  of  Kii;:laii<l.     •'Thenceforth  John  Henry  Newman  was 
a    fjreat    fijinre    in    the    eyes    of    his    coiintryineii.     Kiifilish 
Catholics  were  j;ratefiil  to  him  and  prom!  of  haviii},'  for  their 
chaiiii)ioii  one  of  whom  the  coimtry  itself  had  liecome  sud- 
denly proud  as  a  <;reat  writer  and  a  spiritual  j;eiiius.     He  had 
a  larKc  following'  within  the  Catholic  ("hurcli,  who  hung  on  his 
words  as  his  Oxford  <lisciples  had  done  thirty  years  earlier. 
Opi)ositioii  in  influential  (piarters  continued.     Hut  his  sup- 
porters  among  the   hishops   stood    their   ground,   and   the 
battle  was  on  far  more  ecpial  terms  than  before."  '     True, 
he  did  not  esteem  the  (lialecti<s  with  which  he  could  have 
vaiKiuished  far  abler  controversialists  than  Kingsley,  but  the 
book  revealed  Newman  in  all  his  grandeur  and  his  weakness. 
Those  who  had  long  been  indirt'erent  or  angry,  turned  to 
him   again,  ami   the  generation  that   had  arisen   since  the 
days    of    relentless    war    judged     him    more    justly.      He 
now  lived  under  kindlier  local  skies,  an<l  once  more  felt  that 
responsive  warmth  of  s\ini)ath\-   which   was   necessary   to 
his  temperament  and  his  gifts.     In    1S7S,  Trinity  College 
elected  him  an  honorary  fellow,  and  at  the  same  date  Tio 
Nono,  who  had  long  misconceived  him,  died.     Encouraged 
by  the   Duke  of  Norfolk   and  otluT  distiiiguishe<l   Roman 

'  Wilfri'il  Waril;    '  Tlir  Lif.'  nf  JoUn  Uuiiry  Cardinal  Ni'wiiiuu"  ;  Vol.  I, 
p,  !1. 


!  i     : 


JOHN    HKAUY    NKW.MAN' 


571 


Catholic  laynini,  Leo  Xlll  »-lfvatf(l  tin-  nohlf  Oratoriaii  to 
tin-  Canliiialatf,  the  (listiiistioii  hi-inn  tlu-  iiioro  luarki'd  hv- 
caust'  Ncwniaii  was  a  siiiij)lf  i)ru'st  ami  not  resident  in  Koine. 
The  newly  elected  i'ope  thus  placeil  tin-  hi>;lust  a|)i)roval  on 
liis  works,  and  forever  disposed  of  sus|)ici()ns  as  to  his  fidelity. 
Manninn,  who  could  never  he  chiir^rcd  witli  siil»tlety  any 
more  than  could  Newman  with  ami>ition,  interfered  witli  his 
l)roinotion  in  ways  difHcult  to  \uider>tand  or  to  forjrive. 
Their  antipath\'  was  i)riinarily  due  to  the  (onllict  of  an 
ohjective  with  a  suhjectixe  mind,  {{ui  if  some  human 
frailty  entere<l  into  their  relatiou>,  csixciidly  from  Man- 
nini;'s  side,  his  weaknt'sses  were  redeemed  hy  his  i)iiil- 
anthropic  labors  in  helialf  of  tin-  j)nnr  and  ojjpressed,  in 
which  he  showed  an  instinct  for  true  Christian  democracy 
thiit  Newman  seldom  felt.  The  venerahic  dijjnitary,  im- 
mured in  the  busy  Midland  city  of  Birmin;;liam,  was  not 
often  visihle  elsewhere,  llis  honors  cam*'  too  late  to  he 
nuich  more  tiian  an  :)tficial  vindicntion  and  a  source  of 
personal  comfort.  He  was  now  a  very  old  man,  and  not 
without  the  misfortunes  and  vajxtrs  of  such  an  a;;e;  hut  as 
one  to  whom  holiness  had  hecome  a  hal)it  and  not  a  piirase, 
desj)ite  encircling  f;l"'<"'>.  ''*'  gradually  ascended  the  heights 
whicii  led  Inm  up  to  Coil.  On  rare  occasions  liis  speaking 
countenance  and  red  rol>ed  figure  couid  l)e  discerned  in 
the  pulpits  of  iiis  comnumion  ;  a  figure  on  wliich  a  fierce 
light  had  heateii,  on  which  there  now  shone  a  more  ethereal 
radiance,  inducing  a  iiost  of  memories  wliicli  recounted  the 
imsurpassed  dramatic  interest  of  his  career,  and  left  a  sad 
and  solenm  music  in  many  hearts.  In  descrihing  an  inter- 
view with  him,  in  1SN4,  .hunes  Russell  Lowell  wrote:  "The 
most  interesting  part  of  my  \  isit  to  IJirmiiigliam  was  a  call 
I  made  hy  api)ointment  <iu  Cardinal  Newman.  lie  was 
henignlx'  ciiurtcons  and  we  eNcciiencicd  and  ei'iinenced  each 
other  In  turns.  .\  mure  gracious  -cne>cein'e  1  never  saw. 
There  was  no  monumental  pomp.  l)Ut  a  serene  decay,  like 
that  of  some  ruined  a!)l;ey  in  a  woodlantl  dell,  consolingly 


572      THUKK    UKLUllors   LKADKUS  OK  OXKOUU 


<   ! 


Mii 


I  i* 


forlorn."  lU'  <lu<l  at  K.I);l»a>toii  on  AuK'nst  11,  IS'.M).  having 
practically  i-ovtrnl  the  cfiitnry  of  wliich  lif  was  a  foremost 
jMTsonality  and  wlucli  hv  never  sutl'ered  to  for^;et  that  the 
things  which  are  strn  are  temporal,  the  things  which  are  not 
seen  are  eternal. 

Ki'li,«K;t  E 

The  Tractarians  who  remained  st«'adfast  after  Newman's 
dei)artiire  were  compelled  to  remodel  their  party.  I  nde- 
terred  hy  the  accusations,  inxectives  an<l  taunts  hurled  at 
them  from  all  quarters  they  stil!  lulieved  that  .\njj;licanism 
had  a  Catholic  ori);in,  and  that  a  synthesis  could  he  etfectctl 
between  traditional  ec<lesiasticism  and  the  Kstal)lishe<l 
Church.  I'nder  the  j;uidancc  of  I'uMy,  KeMe,  Mozley, 
and  Marriott  they  gradualh  recovered  from  the  shock  of 
Newman's  secession,  and  rctnineil  an  unalterable  love  for 
their  former  associations  with  him.  Nor  could  his  "  Lectures 
on  Catholicism  in  Knj;l:ind,"  which  he  considered  his  best 
effort,  and  in  which  he  cast  ilown  and  derided  the  ideals  he 
had  once  exalted  to  the  skies,  separate  the  hearts  of  his  former 
comrades  from  him.  .\fter  some  y<ars,  the  old  friend- 
ships with  him  and  Keble  were  resumed;  Dean  Church 
became  his  confidant,  at  whose  honu'  Newman  stayd  when 
he  visited  London,  and  who  j)r()bal)ly  knew  nu.ie  about 
the  convert's  opinions  and  sentinu'Uts  than  any  other  man 
except  Father  Ambrose  .'^t.  John.  When  the  Cardinal  was 
over  eighty  he  traveled  to  Oxford  to  see  in  his  last  illness 
Mark  Pattison,  a  scholar  widely  apart  from  him  and  Tusey 
in  matters  of  belief,  but  one  with  them  m  their  love  for  the 
University  and  for  each  other.  .Newman  ilo<-s  not  seem  to 
have  formed  an  intimacy  with  any  man,  Roman  or.\njilican, 
who  was  not  rear«"<i  at  Oxford. 

Yet  these  i)ersonal  exchanges  tMuld  not  alVect  the  imi)or- 
tant  fact  that  the  Movement  assiiuu'il  other  and  very  ditferciil 
forms,  some  of  wh  h  fell  behind  and  others  went  beyond 
the  designs  of  its  ,)riginators.     The  liberalism  they  hated 


JOHN    HKNKY    NKWMAX 


573 


iiiiil  foiifjlit  I'l  r<iiitiiitirc  r«'ii>sir1((l  itsiH";  the  s|)irit  of  iii(|iiir.v 
iii'ccssary  to  iiittllcctiiiil  rcM'iinli  and  acliifMiiiciit  was  no 
loiiycr  |)ros(Tilic<l  ;  ()\l'onl  (•iiuT^fd  from  the  hackwasli  of 
lIU'(li(•vali^lll,  and  n^nnitd  Iut  true  vocation  as  a  Inivi-rsity 
of  iinliainiHTcil  Ifarnin^.  Ucli^iious  harriers  wvrv  thrown 
down,  cri'dal  tests  were  al)oli>iicd,  acadnnic  honors  were 
distriliuted  without  rej^ard  to  An;;liiiiM  preferences;  in 
brief,  the  attempt  to  arrcM  the  iieavens  and  tlie  eartli  in 
lu'lialf  of  clerical  lontrol  and  dictation  ended,  as  it  deserved 
to  end,  in  comj)lete  failure.  Newman  him>eif,  despite  his 
secession,  received  an  honorary  fellow>hip  in  Trinity  ('olle^;e, 
and  was  con;;ratnlated  upon  tlie  part  he  had  played  as  a 
Konian  ("atiiolic  doctor  in  rcMiiin;;  the  I'nivcr^ity  from  its 
former  narrowness.'  \'iewe<l  from  tlii>  >tandpoint,  the 
Movement  was  cut  otl"  from  its  l)a-.c  of  ^up])lies  at  Oxford. 
It  could  not  i>e  recruiti-d  as  a  matter  of  privi!ej;c  from  the 
ranksof  her  i)rofcssors  ami  >tu(lent>.  The  .VIma  Mater  which 
had  spurncii  Wyciiil'e  and  Wesley,  als4)  suhordinated  .Vnjjlo- 
Catholicism   to   her  general   piir|)o>cs. 

While  the  I'niversitv  w;is  entering;  upon  anotlier  era,  which 
made  Tractarianism  seem  almost  as  remote  as  Scholasticism, 
historical  theolo>;y  slowly  undermined  .^ome  hasic  tcachinfrs 
of  the  sacerdotali^ts.  They  were  men  of  their  own  tinie, 
with  their  own  inetluMls,  ilcsperatelv  oi)pose(|  to  those  who 
would  nctt  concede,  in  the  phrase  of  Al)l)e  Loisy,  that  the 
past  should  remain  the  present  and  become  the  future.  This 
attitude  exposed  tiiem  to  the  attacks  of  proj^ressive  scholar- 
.ship,  which  divorceil  itself  from  many  of  their  claims.  It 
argued  that  there  could  be  no  ^Tcater  fallacy  ;haii  to  identify 
the  medieval  Church  with  any  specie>  of  Catholicism. 
Uather  it  was  tlu'  parent  sti'm  of  whicii  modern  conmumions 
are  the  branches.  These  afterwards  developed  on  their 
s[.  •'•ific  lines,  the  static  and  centripetal  elements  beinj;  found 
in  tne  stereotyjM'd    {{omaii    Church,    the    actix'c    and    cen- 


'  \,nn\   Mr.MV.  ilu'ii  :i  pnifi's-oi-  at  OMiiiil.   w; 
fcrt'd  till'  ('(iimratulatidii:^  In  Ni'Wimhu. 


llic  tiKistiiuistiT  whi)  of- 


574      TIIKKK    HKLKilOlH   LKADKUS  OK  OXKOKD 


M 


i) 


II     If 


( >l 

v\l 

i'  ■■ 

'■  I 

'"¥    \ 

'   n  1 

.    1     i           11:11' 

trifunal  in  the  various  nforiiud  Cliurclus.  Nrith«r  hraiuli 
nitrrtaiiK'd  tniiciptiniis  of  liluTtv  of  coiiMUiuf,  or  a  critical 
or  scientific  tlicolojix .  To  attril)iitc  sucii  iiitciicctiial  virtues 
to  Uonians  or  Protestants  of  tlic  sixtcciitli  ccntiirv  did 
vioU-ncc  to  tiicir  i)syclioion\  and  tlicir  iiistory.  Those  who 
uiidersto(Kl  tin'  irna-r  spirit  and  structure  of  ortliiMloxy, 
whether  (Jenevan.  Lutheran,  An^'lican.  or  Houian,  ceuse<l 
to  wonder  that  Socinians,  Baptists,  and  Quakers,  tlie  stej)- 
children  of  the  Keforunition,  as  tliev  have  been  liappily 
falliHl.fareti  nc'arly  as  iiardly  as  tlie  llu^iuenots  of  France  or 
the  victims  of  tlie  Spanish  Inquisition.  Investipitions  of 
this  radical  cluiracter  are  still  inider  way,  and  whatever  else 
they  may  acconii)lish,  they  will  not  j)r»Mluce  aiiytiiiiiK  ad- 
vantageous to  Tractarianism  or  its  successors. 

A  far  more  serious  matter  for  them  was  the  impairnu-nt 
of  the  theory  of  apostolic  succession  already  nu'Utioned  in 
tiie   chapters  on   Wesley.     I'lMiu  this  uiihrokeii  ordinatit>n 
all  Catholicism  rested  its  case,  and  Newman  boasted  that 
whatever  else  may  hapi)en,  not  a  link  in  the  chain  was  miss- 
inj;.     His  position  in  this  respect,  whether  as  an   Anglican 
or  a  Uomanist,  was  destined  to  be  overthrown  at  the  in- 
stance of  a  great  P'nulish  bishop  and  scholar.     John  Barber 
Lightfoot  of  Durham,  Newnuin's  superior  in  the  massive- 
ness  and  extent  of  his  learninp,  showed  that  there  was  no 
threefold  order  in  the  church  of  the  Apostles.     The  Syriac 
Peshito,  the  first  version  into  which    the  New  Testament 
was    translat«Hl,    and    the    "Didache,"    most    venerable   of 
Christian  docimients  recently  recovered,  verifitnl  Lij;htfoot"s 
argument.     Puscy's  defense  of  the  Anglican  succession  was 
questioned  not  only  by  fellow  ("hurchnu'U  but  also  by  New- 
man,  who  maintained   that   his   former  colleague  di<l    not 
affect  to  aj)peal  to  any  authority  but  his  own  interprc      ion 
of  the  Fathers.     "There  is,"  he  said,  "a  tradition  of  Higii 
Church  and  Low  Church,  but  not  what  is  now  justly  called 
Puscyism."     Baptismal  Uegencration,  the  Real   Presence  in 
the  Ilolv  Conuuuni(.n,  and  other  dogmas  which  derive  their 


JOHN    HKNUY    NKWMAN' 


.X.I 


siuTUiiu-ntal  valiu-  from  the  x.iliilits  nl'  All^'^u•lln  Orders, 
whili-  still  lii'luvt.l  iiM<l  tiiiinlii  !•>  An^'lii-Ciilliolic^,  must 
t'Vfiit'iully  lie  all'tMtrd  !>>  tlic  liir;:.  \Mriiitiiiii>  alnadx  filt 
ut  tin-  lifiirt  of  tlicir  (reed.  It-^  adsuiiitc^  wtTi-  ilrivcii  hy 
tilt'  invidit)iis  nature  <>l'  tlieir  claim-  to  uiieartli  material 
for  the  supiMirl  of  foregone  <i>ii(hi-ioiH.  'Their  researelies 
travestiinl  the  past,  and  -nppheil  tliem  witli  no  key  to  the 
processes  of  ("liri-tian  thou;;lit.  The-  >tood,  and  still 
stand.  uj)on  an  iina^inarv  platform.  "  fn  .m  which,"  in  the 
lannuajre  of  IVincijial  'ruilocli,  "lhe\  proceeded  to  the  coii- 
doMUiatiofi  of  e\er\  liody  eUe,  or  tiie  ajiotheo-i-^  of  themselves 
as  the  representatives  of  Cjiri-tian  anliciuitv ." 

Further,  the  puMicatioii  of  "lai\  Mnndi."  a  -erie-  of 
essays  hy  a  ^jrouj)  of  gifted  lliuli  (hnn  hmeii,  which  was 
i'«lited  hy  the  |)resent  l>i-ho|)  of  Oxford,  Dr.  (lore,  frankly 
recognized  that  tlie  do;;ma  of  the  inerrancy  of  Holy  Serif)- 
ture  was  another  fallen  fortrc>-.  1-et  it  l)e  j:ranted  that 
some  speculative  eoncln-ion>  put  forth  iiy  the  modern  view 
of  the  ilihlc  are  a>  mischievou-  a>  the  letter-worship  apiinst 
which  they  are  drawn.  Vet  these  aherration-  do  not  make 
a  rational  interpretation  of  Sacred  Writ  tiie  le>>  ne<'essary. 
and  if  those  who  are  eompcttnt  to  ileal  with  such  intricate 
questions  could  he  deprived  of  their  freedom  to  ilo  so,  the 
last  state  would  he  worse  than  tlie  lir-t.  The  setting;  aside 
of  one  of  Newman's  main  postulate-,  the  al>-olute  infallihility 
of  all  parts  of  the  Holy  Scripture-,  wa-  extremely  adverse 
to  the  authority  of  those  rect>n Is  of  .lcwi-li  priesthoods,  rit- 
uals, and  sacrifices  which  had  heen  ii  plentiful  storehouse  for 
the  lanjiua^e  and  customs  of  the  Knchari>tic  altar. 

The  second  j)hasc  of  Tractariani-m  found  expression  in  its 
modes  of  worship.  Newman'-  religion-  temper  was  indicated 
in  his  preference  for  I'alladiaii  o\cr  Oothic  anliitecture.  lie 
loved  definition;  the  dim  recc— ed  sjiacc-,  pillared  Kh>t»'". 
half  lijihts  and  slunlows  of  Kuiiii-h  cathedrals  did  not  appeal 
to  him.  Neither  lu'  nor  I'u-cy  cared  for  a  hij^hly  ornate 
service,    hut    I'uscy's    diMii>lcs    depended    on    its    concrete 


lip' 


m 


1,!' 


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1    i 

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I    ■    !  :  ■ 

i       '■ 

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i        ; 

'  !■■ 

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^m 

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li'i 


r»7t>      TIIKKK    UKLnaoi  S   LKADKUS  «)K  OXKOUI) 

vitihlo  nu'iins  wlurihv  to  iTiipiirl  <  atluilicism  tliriMi>:li  nijin 
mill  svml)i>|  to  till-  less  ncrptivt'  iniitils  of  tlitir  tlinks.  Uvrv 
tin'  Movniu'iit  fell  into  tlit-  can'  of  minor  >|)irit-«,  who  wi-re 
<-liarK»'<l  with  ilctlcctiiiK  the  aihiration  of  the  worshiiMTs 
from  the  i)ro]MT  ol)ji(tiv«>  of  faith.  Tin-  use  of  vt-Mmcnts, 
iiHTMsi'.  sacriiiK'  lu-lls,  caiiilU'^.  cnnifixts ;  th»'  j:«'iuillrxioiis, 
anil  ailoration  of  tin-  Most,  whirh  ron«<titiitfil  what  iia>  Um 
({••sirilifil  as  till-  suTfil  ilanrt-  around  tlic  altar;  tlu'  prar- 
ticf  of  ihary  anil  of  ronfrssion  ;  tin-  ohMTvanct-  of  fasts 
anil  ft-as.-i  ami  saints'  ilays  witlioiit  stint,  ami  tin-  homage 
paiil  to  the  Vir>;in  Mary,  crratcd  considtralilf  txritcmt-nt 
in  Knulaml  ami  kt-pt  tlu'  l)i--ho|is  l>nsy  in  tluir  i-Horts  to  suh- 
diii'  a  civil  war  within  tin-  Church,  pr»'s«rvf  discipline,  and 
adjiidiiatc  tin-  disputes  of  rclK-llions  priests  with  their 
parisiiioners.  .S>me  Anglicans  looked  upon  these  innova- 
tions as  well-meant  vapiries,  others,  li'ss  complaisant, 
pointed  out  that  they  were  not  only  a  violation  of  the  sim- 
plicity winch  is  in  Christ,  hut  also  of  the  Apostolic  and 
patristic  Christianity  to  which  the  Tractarians  had  first 
resorted,  and  of  the  Canon  Law  of  the  Church.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  they  rej)riMluceil  atid  almost  transcended 
the  later  developments  of  Uomaii  Catholicism.  Thi- 
A'-,;;!''  '  .\rticle  nnd  Huhrics  had  enjoined  no  special  ty|)0 
of  faitti  and  worship:  the  exposition  of  their  doctrin.il  and 
liturgical  standard  was  laid  upon  the  conscience  of  the 
clerjry  as  enli>;htened  hy  Holy  Scriptures.  Hut  this  liherty 
was  guarded  Ity  the  Book  of  Conuuon  "rayer,  which,  after 
the  lUhle  of  Kill,  was  the  noblest  heritable  of  the  Church, 
the  finest  example  of  pure  vernacular  Knj^lish,  the  most 
complete  expression  of  Christian  truth  and  supplication, 
which  recognized  and  included  the  laity  with  the  clergy  in 
their  united  approach  to  (iihI.  I'ossessed  hy  all,  accessible 
to  all,  these  external  guides,  the  Bible  and  the  I'rayer  Book, 
sustained  the  Church  in  her  gravest  emergencies,  and,  de- 
spite her  inconsistencies,  helped  to  make  her  one  of  the 
greatest  religious  forces  of  the  world.     Ecclesiastical  parties 


JOir\    MKNUY    NKWMAV 


•X , 


iiiviii);  this    in  ('(immiiii, 


had   floiirishi'il,   foiiulit,  «l(iliiic<|,  I 

th«'  aiitlmritv  of  tlir  tvM.  clasMi  >  .IcriviMl  in  tln-ir  >tat«-(l  U>nr 
from  tin-  Hcforniatii.n  |».ri(«l.  If  l•;ra^tiall-^  had  frt(|nfnfly 
nc>;lf(tc<l  the  spiritual  .•.■i.n..ii:i.-s  ..f  the  Chun  h  in  hcluilf  i.f 
lu-r  |M>liti(al  utility,  tli.-y  h;..|  alxi  >a\c(|  h.T  fn.ni  tin-  fantistic 
inspiratioiix.f  zeal.. ts  against  h.r  inuly.  Ilcr  <Hi(irn<  y  as  a 
national  urbanization  hail  nut  litcn  intru^tnl  tuan  apostolic 
su((rssion,  hut  to  th."  n'r.',>ity  ami  the  uMJuhus,  of  hrr  insti- 
tutions. Anil  luT  must  ili-pa-sionatf  ami  wii^jhty  intcl!«-(ts, 
such  as  n(M)kcr,  had  juil^c.l  ami  api)rovcil  her  on  that 
hnsis.  N(,\v  the  stniiiility  auain-t  wiiich  cv.-n  the  ^kIs 
coiitcmi  in  vain  hail  hrokcn  loo-c.  ami  for  tiic  first  time 
in  An^ilicani^iii  tliere  was  a  markeil  ili\i  rt'ciMc  lietwe«-n  the 
cleri<'al  ami  laiial  mind. 

A  similar  divcr^'eiice  had  lon>;  liccn  f.  It  in  !,atiii  Chris- 
tianity, hut  the  countcraition  of  I'nritani-ni  had  |)rc\ciited 
its  leaven  from  s|)reailiii;;  in  Kn^laml.  Authuritx  and 
lilxTty  were  a>;ain  at  udii>,  and  the  arliitrary  self-exaltation 
of  the  Hitualistic  cult  \\a>  a  heady  wine  for  the  younjier 
Tructarians  to  drink.  They  carried  over  the  residue  of 
conservative  reaction  m  the  late  ei>;liteeiitli  century  into 
another  outhri-ak  in  the  niiictecntli,  whidi  entlironed  the 
priest  as  tiie  mediator  of  divine  ^rracc,  ami  the  representative 
of  (mkI  to  the  coii>;re,i;atinn.  This  s|)ecial  aml.as>adorsliip 
v.; :-»  asserted  in  the  pioiis  rhetoric  witli  wliidi  such  preten- 
sions are  usually  conveyed,  Imt  no  phrascolu^fy  could  make 
them  palataltle  to  the  avcra^re  Mritoii.  I'n»aic  as  he  i\\>- 
peared  to  lie,  he  was  nut  deceived  liy  it.  iJitualisu.  re- 
mained a  mere  decoration,  and  it:^  sensuous  materialism, 
irrational  attitude,  ami  ri'cklcss  lieariu);  were  ilee|)ly  resented. 
Neither  the  ardor  of  its  advocate^,  nor  tluir  atiVetion  for 
environments  Itefittin^'  Chri-tian  worslii])  could  avert  the 
eondenmation  of  the  nation  at  lar<;e,  or  make  amends 
for  the  actual  jM-ril  of  priestly  c.mtrol  and  monopoly  of 
the  Church.  The  up|iusitiuM  this  peril  ciicuuntered  was 
Mot  always  wi.se  or  cuurtcous.  (luod  men  entangle*!  in 
2p 


h 


I 

1 


• 


-J 

t    " 

;   1 


l\"y 


,      '   M 


'i^ 


t 
I  ( 


If 


'■)7^       I'lIUKK    KKI.KilOLS    LK.VDHKS  OK   OXKOUD 

their  own  fumits  wen-  .ariciiturctl  ami  iMali,iiiic<l ;  accusod 
of  wilful  ami  mi-.  lii.\  uii.  pi.niiiii;-  a.^riii^t  tlic  pcacc^  and 
wilf.in-  of  the  lonmiunioii  tor  wliicli  many  of  tlicni  felt  a 
-iiiciTi-  atlVctioi'  and  MTv.d  ai  con-iderahU'  (•o>t  to  tlicn'- 
^■Ivcs.  IJnt  tiif  pcr-c.  iitioii-  whi.ii  tlicy  ciidnrcd  i.i 
whicli  advanced  rather  than  retarded  their  eatne,  ere 
only  tlie  uri)iu-ai:e  of  a  widespread  and  jiistifiaMe  (>■  ;ci 
tiop  to  raliid  extremi-*--  \\  ho  fnrni-hed  alnnidant  eaus(  .;>. 
the  adverse  -entinunis  with  which  they  vvrv  rejiarded. 

rreM'ntl\  tlicy  di>pla\ed  .(mtcnipt  for  .\ni;li<anisMi.  and 
moderate  ili-h  Chnrchmen  perceived  tliat  >aeerdotal  par- 
ti>an>.  .•onseioiw  of  tlieir  ano!nalon>  -tandin^^  were  willinj; 
to  disjuMiM'  Christianity  only  on  their  own  terms.  Tlic 
extent  of  tin-  perverdl\  v. a-  revealed  in  a  recent  oceiirrenre 
at  Oxford,  when  two  An,uIo-(  "atholic  jjrofessors  proposed  to 
omit  froiTi  the  theolojiieal  .leu'rec  the  title  t>f  "sacred"  and 
to  throw  it  (^peii  to  Buiidhi>t>  and  other  non-('liri>tians. 
The  Wanhn  of  Kehle  ColKuc  -\ii)ported  the  motion  and  the 
|{ef;in-  l'rofe»or  of  Divinity  a-erted  that  he  did  not  know- 
in  these  days  what  eon>titnted  a  ( 'hiirclnnan.' 

Yet  ritnali>m  had  a  hri.iihter  -ide  ;  the  >lo\  enliness  of  early 
\ietorian  oh-ervances  was  alioli.-hed,  fai)rics  which  liad 
fallen  intotli-repair  wen'  nhiiilt.  monnment->of  anticpiity  were 
preserved,  al>l>e,\s  and  cathedraU  which  had  heen  ravaiietl  liy 
previous  "restoration-"  a— imied  their  ori',inal  heanty  and 
hecane  the  sanetnarie-  of  .iaily  orai-e  and  snpplieation. 
'  And  thonijh  the  cereiiioniali-ts  seemed  to  iuive  little  iiK'lina- 
tion  for  nus>ionary  etVort  -  abroad,  they  adorned  tlie  snperti- 
eiallifeof  th.eirown  land  with  man\  tokens  of  their  devotion. 
The  third  i)ha-e  of  'IVaetariani-m,  and  in  many  resinct-- 
the  hest,  is  the  pre-ent  pa— ion  of  .\nirlo-(  'atholies  for  lunnan- 
ily  and  for  -ocial  -ervice.  Their  di-turl.ance  of  complacent 
oflieiaii-m  in  is:'.:',  lind-  it>  -e.pu'l  in  the  a^itatit.n  for  a 
Christian   demo.r.uy    in    i'.H."..     'i'lie  hi-hop-,  the   majonts 


I   A      H.    T.    '    ImiUi-        •■(■..ll,,|.,-r   (,f     til..  Catholir     Ur\iv:ir 

Ci  tihd:,   li.r  I  i.i.iliiT.    I'll.'.. 


Thr    M,i,t,,uli, 


joirx  lll•:\l;^   \i:\\ max 


m\) 


of  whom  arc  Ili^'li  ('Ininlmicn,  im  lnii;;iT  live  in  iiristocratic 
aloofiu'ss,  siirvcv  iii;i  uitli  iiiilitVrrcncc  or  coiitcmin  the 
StniJI^'k-  of  tlic  pfO])lc.  'I'luy  li;i\c  (Ncrcdcd  tile  cxaiiipk'  of 
Saniiu'l  WilluTforcc  aixl  ciilar;^!!!  tlitir  ollicc  In  allyiiij;  it 
with  all  dasscs  in  their  (lior(-<(> ;  uivinij  f;iii(lancc  and 
succor  to  the  ont(■a^t  ;  nd  the  IicIijIc^^  with  a  per- 
sistency and  an  inspiration  drawn  from  a  fr(-.h  \isi()ii 
of  Christian  truth  and  Cliri-^tiaii  in-titntions.  \othin};c 
more  si^niilicaut  ha-.  Ikcii  acconipii^hed  in  iniMiern  An^di- 
canism.  The  rank  and  file  of  the  eleriry  have  also  ex- 
perienced a  renewal  of  >piritnal  litV  which  manifests 
itself  in  the^e  admirahle  \\a\>.  ThdM^ands  of  them 
are  found  ministeriui;  in  ol>-cure  and  dcpr(--!n^'  parishes 
of  city  >lnms  and  rural  region--,  nninte  from  notice,  with 
no  desire  for  emoluments  and  lienclicr^.  A  self-dcnyinj;, 
cousecratcil  ])astoral  force  covers  <incc  ne;,dected  spots, 
instituting;  daily  service-,  caiechizin;;-  tlie  cliililrcn,  consolinj: 
the  sick  and  hereavcd,  and  injcctin;;  into  the  most  brutalized 
and  hopeless  conditions  a  sense  of  eternal  tliinus.  Tiie  work 
of  Vather  Stanton  in  Ilolhorn  and  l''ather  Dollinj;  in  the 
East  Knd  of  London  wa^  tyi)i(al  of  similar  lal)orsand  laborers 
tliroufjhout  Knjiland.  Much  tliat  is  said  and  done  is  (pies- 
tionahle,  hut  notwithstaiidinu'  mistake-,  and  retrojiressions, 
the  war  on  unl)eHcf,  on  ".ddlc-s  wealth,  on  luxury,  on  ease, 
and  (»n  the  vices  of  drink  and  immorality  uocs  steadily  for- 
ward. To  ajiitatc,  to  inno\at<  .  to  suceced,  are  its  mottoes. 
Incensed  by  the  misery  they  lia\'c  w  itiies-,ed,  man\'  of  tliese 
men  are  Socialists  of  a  sort,  and  ])roclaim  a;,'ainst  the  vicious- 
ness  of  the  present  economic  sy-tcm  with  un^i)arin,<;  words. 
Kven  the  Kstabli-htncnt,  that  sacred  oriranisni  in  behalf  of 
wluch  Keble  uttered  the  indictment  that  bciran  the  Oxford 
Movement,  has  been  a--.,iiled,  and  .Viiiilo-Catholics  of  the 
pattern  of  the  late  I'atiur  Stanlon  are  found  in  the  libeni- 
tionists'  camp,  denounein.i;  the  inju-tice  and  dis>;raci'  of  an 
alliance  of  Church  and  State  in  terms  which  wouki  have  sur- 
prised and  charmed  Kdward  Miail 


f'   I 


'i:  ! 


; 


580      TIIKEK    itKLKMOUS    |.K\DKI{S  OF  OXFOllD 

Noncoiifdrniists  and  Low  ('liunliiiu'ii,  wlio  for  a  itne  sttuxl 
afar  oH"  and  tliaiiki-d  llravcii  tlu-y  wore  not  as  those  Roiuan- 
i/.itii;  fanatics,  «'ventuall\  imitated  their  zeal  for  tiie  better- 
liieiit  of  the  nation,  f;i\  in^  to  it  a  renewed  measure  of  that 
evanjjeheal  eHort  the\  iiave  always  and  honorably  bestowed 
on  foreign  territories.  The  great  missions  of  Wesleyaii 
Methodism  in  many  cities  and  that  of  Whitefield's  Tabernacle, 
Limdon,  with  whieh  the  names  of  Hugh  Price  Hughes, 
Samuel  F.  Collier,  F.  L.  Wiseman,  (Jeorge  Jackson,  J.  Krnest 
Rattenbury,  and  ('.  SilvesttT  Home  are  signally  associated, 
were  organized  and  soon  bi'camc  living  agencies  for  religious 
and  social  improvenu-nt.  Those  who  have  no  sympathy 
with  the  clerical  prc-tensions  of  Anglo-Catholics  concede  that 
their  latest  develoj)ments  iiis])ire  a  respect  whieh  has  uever 
been  felt  for  their  historical  or  logical  jjositions.  This  re- 
spect is  intensified  by  their  opp()sit"')n  to  the  narrc)\\7iess  of 
that  spurious  liberalism  which  reduces  the  vital  content 
of  the  (ios|)el  to  a  bloodless  j)hraseol<)g_\-,  and  views  it  as  an 
ethical  systtni  shorn  of  any  aileiiuate  religious  dynamic. 
In  such  relations  the  Oxford  Movement  reverted  to  the 
Evangelicalism  from  which,  in  a  measure,  it  originated,  and 
against  which  it  had  set  itself.  The  life  animating  both 
these  historic  jjarties  was  lodged  beneath  their  deepest 
difi'erences  and  could  not  be  exterminated.  They  unitedly 
repudiated  the  half-hearted  replica  of  the  Christianity  of 
Christ  which  costs  litUe,  involves  few,  forgets  no  prudtnces, 
runs  no  hazards,  and  at  last  incurs  reproach  and  decay. 
Thus  the  Oxford  Movement  was  more  than  a  theological 
reform,  and  infinitely  more  than  an  emotional  episode;  "it 
was  a  protest  against  the  loose  unreality  of  ordinarv'  reli- 
gi(ms  morality"  and  in  this,  the  sununary  of  its  wisest  his- 
torian, is  the  explanation  of  its  value  for  the  universal  Church. 

Newman  was  a  prime  instance  of  the  j)ersistence  of  earlier 
traits  in  an  unfriendly  environment;  and,  as  we  have  seen, 
other  converts  from  Tractarianism  to  Rome  were,  like  him. 
Evangelicals  by  birth  and  training.     His  strength  and  theirs 


ii 


:*    «! 


JOIIX    HF-]\I{Y   XKVVMAX 


581 


lay    in    a    quick    sense    of    tiic    sMpcrnatii'-al,    a    prof(  iind 
consciousness  of  reli^'ioii  as  a  jxTsonai  experience,  to  which 
Iiis  genius  >,'ave  a  historic  settiil^^     dod  and   himself  werr 
the  only  two,  almost  ('(xirdinate  realities,  the  fixed  foci  of  an 
ellipse  around  which  revolveil  the  world  with  its  stajijiering 
burdens,  as  so  nnich  ncl)ida,  dreain-stull',  phantasmagoria. 
Myself,  my  (iod,  my  end  :    and  all  things  else  mere  means 
to  that  end   —such  was  Newman's  i)lea.     The  struggle  to 
maintain  eaeli  member  of  this  system  in  its  due  phcv,  and 
to  cultivate  their  spiritualities  i)y  sulijecting  the  forces  of 
conquered   egotism   to  their    service  constitute*!    his  moral 
greatness.     Making    a    serious    account    of  obstacles,    he 
yet  accepted  all  turns  of  affairs,  drawing  them  into  his  main 
current,  and  moving  on  towards  his  goal ;  a  simple,  humane, 
universal  goal ;  the  doing  of  Cod's  will  on  earth.     Ever  and 
anon  he  relaxed  his  customary  vigilance  and  the  opposition 
of  his    regnant  will  was  re\ealed.     The  conflict  engraved 
its  traces  on  his  soul,  and  in  all  ])rol)ai)ility  he  remained 
unsatisficl  to  the  e-id.     "That  whiih  won  his  heart  and  his 
enthusiasm,"  said  Dean  Church,  "was  one  thing,  that  which 
justified  itself  to  \      intellect  was  anot!;cr."     This  striking 
verdict  from  one  \     .1  ai)praised  him  best,  conducts  us  as 
near  to  the  mystery  of  his  iieing  as  it  seems  i)ossible  to  get. 
His  ultimate  sense  of  the  life,  the  society,  and  the  principles 
of  action  contaii    d  in  the  Ajx.^tolic  fellowship  constrained 
him  to  seek  t'  at  organization   in   which   they   were  most 
completely  embodied.     In  the  search  he  surrounded  himsilf 
with  distillations  of  all   kinds  and   arguments  orientalized 
to  the  last  degree.     (Questions  of  logicd  legitimacy  gave  way 
to  the  all-important  issue  of  a  vital  system  of  Christianity. 
The  high    ideal   of  a  Church  which   lived   and  wiought  as 
Christ  and  His  Apostles  had  lived  and  wrought  offered  the 
only  adequate  object  to  his  reason  and  faith  alike.      The 
pursuit  of  that  ideal  engrossed  him  as  it  had  Wycliffe  and 
Wesley  ;  the  historian  and  all  else  in  him  were  made  obedient 
to  his  endeavors  to  attain    that  object.     His    first    effort 


i\m 


i  ii 


il     ! 


■  it 

■'■'a' 
i  1 


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-yS2      TII15KK    l{KLl(;l()rs    LKADKUv   OF   OXFORD 

was  a  («i        r,\  ini>tak(-.     In  lMiij;nafn-  wlii.li  ftilHlU-d.  the 
highest  ^ta,l(la^!^  of  tli.'  writcrV  art;    dignity  of  manner, 
jHTsuasiveiH-,  crystaHiui-  clearness,  fervor  with  restraint, 
he  bared  tlie  ini\ennost  elianil.ers  of  his  heart  to  the  world's 
gaze,  aiul  a.linitted  that  he  ha.l  tla'orized  wrongly.     In  his 
second   effort    lie   tlicori/ed    successfully,   hut  great   results 
were  denied    him.     lie   had   lost    touch    with   the   younger 
generation,  an<l  could  no  longer  take  account  of  the  form  and 
pressure  of  his  times,  or  remake  the  stock  of  his  conceptions, 
or  cast  aside  the  i)rei)osscssions  of  his  life.     Caught   in  the 
toils  of  his  own  ixTsonality,  he  settled  nothing  for  the  prol)- 
Icms  of  hvmian  freedom  ami  human  thinking.     Behhid  him 
lay   a   divided    .\n,-licanism,  hefore  him   a   bewildered  and 
apathetic  UomaniMU.     The  mo^t  loyal  of  Knglishmen  and  of 
Oxford's  M)ns  was  drawn  by  lii.->  sense  of  <hity  and  by  the 
logic  of  his  premises  into  "a  great  eo>mopolitan  association 
in^vhich  England  counted  for  little  and  Oxford  for  nothing  at 
all."      With  dexterity  of  argument  he  tried  to  acciumt  for  the 
hi<li>pntal)le  fact  that  Tapal  doctrine  and  discipline  were  in 
manv  essential  respirts  far  removed   from  the  (^hurch  of 
the  New  'restament.     IJut  neither  the  Essay  on  Development 
nor  aught  else  could  soothe  his  own  distiuietude ;  his  reason- 
ing and  his  style  were  the  images  of  his  mind  rather  than 
of  his  subject.     Their  dusiveness  gives  rise  to  the  mingled 
admiration  and  doubt  of  which  his  readers  are  aware.     They 
watch  the  nuinifestations  of  his  intellect  with  the  suspicion 
that  he  engages  it  to  eonfinn  the  demands  of  his  heart.   These 
distractions  prevented  in  him  the  purest  faith,  and  made  his 
storva  sa<l  one  even  to  the  casual  observer.     Although  histori- 
eallv  he  was  an  Oxonian,  a   (^ilvinist,  an   Evangelical,  an 
Anglican,  a  Tractarian,  a   Roman  Catholic;    primarily  he 
was   none  of  these,   but   alwa,\s  a   Xewmauite.     The  rest 
ccmld   assert,   themselves   through    his   complex  iHTSonality ; 
nmie   could    diminish    or   overawe   it.     This   invincible   iii- 
divi.lualism,   express.-.l    in   ways  which   outvie  romance   m 
their    interest,    accounted    for    the    strange    fascination    he 


JOHN   HKNRY   XKWMAX 


583 


exercised  over  disciple  and  opponent.  It  isolated  him,  as 
we  have  seen,  in  the  most  conj^enial  or  in<iuisitive  societies 
to  which  he  successively  adhered. 

Hence  few  of  his  official  overseers  understood  him  :  Haw- 
kins, Whateh ,  the  Flnj;lish  l)ish()i)s,  the  Roman  hierarchy, 
were  cciually  at  fault  in  their  judj;ments  concerninfi  him. 
He  was  practically  driven  out  of  Aufjlicanism,  he  was  sinihhed 
and  neglected  by  the  chief  pastors  of  the  Church  of  his  adop- 
tion. In  1(S()()  he  wrote  in  his  Journal :  "  I  have  no  friend 
in  Rome:  I  have  labored  in  England,  to  be  misrepresented, 
backbitten  and  scorned.  I  have  labored  in  Irelarul,  with  a 
door  ever  shut  in  my  face."  Seven  years  later  he  continutMl 
—  "  Now,  alas  I  I  fear  that  in  one  sense  the  iron  has  entered 
into  my  soul.  I  mean  that  confidence  in  any  superiors  what- 
ever never  can  blossom  again  within  me.  I  shall,  I  feel, 
always  think  they  will  be  taking  some  advantage  of  me." 
This  was  both  his  misfortune  and  his  fault.  In  the  pithy 
phrase  of  the  London  Sjtpcfdtor:  "as  an  Anglican  he  stood 
for  me<lieval  principles  in  a  scientific  age;  as  a  Roman  he 
stoo<l  for  a  measure  of  scientific  thought  in  a  Church  com- 
mitted to  medieval  theology."  That  which  Oxford  did  he 
chided  Rome  for  not  doing,  yet  he  had  left  Oxford  because 
she  did  it.  The  liberalism  he  denounced  in  the  one  place, 
he  assumed  in  the  other.  This  may  explain  wliy  Archbishop 
CuUen  intercepttnl  the  mitre,  and  Manning  nearly  j)revented 
the  scarlet  hat  from  being  bestowed  on  him.  Not  until 
he  was  harmless  was  he  jHTmitteil  to  take  his  ])la<e  among 
the  Princes  of  the  Church,  and  it  is  doul)tful  if  even  Ward's 
biography  contains  the  full  account  of  his  ditfereiices  with 
the  Curia,  and  with  the  Roman  Catholic  episcopacy  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

He  saw  the  defects  of  systems  more  keenly  than  their 
merits,  and  his  sensitiveness  inclined  !iim  to  despair  of  their 
permanence  or  usefulness.  Hccause  he  never  sliared  the 
<lelusion  that  England  was  huiigering  for  tlie  true  Church  and 
on  the  verge  of  conversion  to  (^atholicisni,  he  set  about  re- 


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584      THREE    RELIGIOUS   LEADERS  OF  OXFORD 

forming  instead  of  propaRating  it  among  his  countrymen. 
Here,  as  elsewhen-,  lie  was  hound  to  make  his  hruin  consent 
to   what   his   heart   approved.     Tiu-y   eajok-d    each   other, 
and  most  conspicuously  in  his  treatnu'nt  of  faith,  in  which 
he  reversed  the  usual  order  and  dealt  with  tlie  essential 
truths  of  religion  as  neither  known  nor  knowahle  in  themselves 
hut  guarantee<l  by  tiie  siiHicient  explanation  they  gave  of 
facts   and    hy  their   practical    values   for    humai.    nature. 
The  rationalistic  conception  of  faith  as  an  intellectual  act 
of  belief  based  on  sufficient  evideiu-e,  and  the  moral  concep- 
tion of  faith  as  the  carrying  out  by  the  will  of  that  which 
had   been   accepted   by   the   understanding,    Xewnuin   dis- 
allowed ;  the  first  because  it  confounded  faith  with  opinion, 
the   second    because   it   confounded    faith   with   obedience. 
Thus  faith  was  placed  above  tiie  operations  of  intellect ;  the 
early  Christians,  he  said,  believed  first  and  were  afterwards 
instructtnl    as    to    what    they    bclievwl.     (Jlacial    intellect 
construed  the  spiritual  as  though  it  were  the  physical  and 
were  incapable  of  the  love  and  reverence  which  colonel  faith. 
To  an  evil  heart  tiicse  were  no  more  than  dark  suspicions, 
and  it  was  prone  to  accept  tiie  sliadows  cast  1-y  its  own  re- 
flections as  realities.     But  to  a  humble  mind  love  and  rev- 
erence were  clear  trusts,  in  behalf  of  which  reason  ceased 
its  struggle  for  supremacy,  and  cast  in  its  fortunes  with  their 
higher  possibilities.     Such,  according  to  Xewman,  was  saving 
faith :    its  judgnuMits  were  intuitive,  immediate,  detached, 
unsystematic,  flaslies  in  our  gloomy  depths ;  begotten  in  us, 
not  createil  by  us.     His  own  faith  was  an  act  of  will,  vetoing 
reason,  or  perhaps  to  be  more  just  to  liim,  a  moral  act  of  the 
reason,   transcending   the   requirements   of  demonstration. 
The  logical  sequence  was,  that  an  authoritative  guardian  of 
faith   became   necessary  as  a   protection   against  skeptical 
desolation.     Hence  faith  for  him  was  a  philosophy,  Chris- 
tianity an  idea,  truth    a  matter  of  impression;    evidences 
were  presumptions,  hypotheses,  ventures,   rather  than  sub- 
stantiated realities;  c(mclusions  which  provoked  Fairbairn's 


JOHN-   IIKNRY  XKWMAN 


585 


retort  thiit  Ncwinan  was  an  ajjiiostic  baptized  with  religious 
emotion. 

In  all  prohahility  he  was  the  greatest  apologist  for  the 
Roman  Catiiolie  Chureh  since  the  (la\  s  of  Bossuet.  .Neither 
of  them  would  endure  t!ie  reeonciliation  of  faith  with  reason; 
the  one  appealed  to  force,  the  other  to  imagination,  against 
the  process.  IJut  Newman  succeeded  in  mitigating  the  irra- 
tional resentment  which  had  i)revailed  against  the  I'apacy 
in  England.  The  silent  force  of  his  example,  even  more  than 
the  eloquence  of  his  writings,  gave  pause  to  those  ardent 
partisans  who  saw  nothing  gotxl  in  l{ome. 


The  breach  between  faith  and  knowledge  is  not  healed, 
yet  this  is  not  as  impossible  as  traditionalists  declare.  It  was 
successfully  attempted  by  Clement  and  Origen,  unsuccess- 
fully by  Abailard,  and  actually  acc()m[)lislied  by  Aquinas. 
Scholasticism  was  formerly  as  strongly  reprol)ate(l  by  the 
Curia  as  Modernism  is  now.  Tiie  New  Learning  wiis  re- 
jected by  the  Council  of  Trent  for  definite  and  interested 
reasons.  Yet  the  New  Learning  has  returned  as  Modern- 
ism to  find  Scholasticism  sanctioned  and  its  own  repre- 
seiitative  banned.  Surely  it  is  within  the  highest  possi- 
bility that  the  Church  which  gave  Atiuinas  to  the  most 
illustrious  services  any  man  could  render  by  the  will  of 
C»o«l  to  his  own  generation,  will  produce  from  her  living 
soul  another  great  doctor  who  can  make  the  bounds  of 
lawful  freedom  wider  yet.  The  premature  and  desultory 
efforts  of  Father  Tyrell  in  this  direction  are  not  forever 
forfeited,  and  if  history  is  any  warrant,  it  is  a  safe  prediction 
that  the  things  for  which  he  stood  will  yet  bear  fruit  after 
their  kind  and  in  their  season.  So  far  as  Anglicanism  is 
concerned,  it  was  founded  on  sound  scholarship,  and,  con- 
sidere<l  broadly,  has  never  departed  from  that  basis.  Its 
leaders  have  welcomed  the  pioneers  of  truth  who  were  glad 
to  find  shelter  at  Canterbury  and  O.xford .     Cranmer,  Hooker, 


t 


I 


I/.' 


580      THKKK    UKLKHOIS   '.KADKltS  OK  OXFORD 

TilU.tsM,,.  Thirlwall.  MuLtf.H.t.  WVshott.  Hurt.  Stuhbs  and 
(>i-iL'lit(.n.  t..  nu-.ition  hut  a  few  l.ist.iric  immes,  toiled  for 
the  u»ifieatu.n  c.f  learning   a.ul  piety.    That  obseurai.tism 
has   been    all    too  aetive  and  mischievous   among  certam 
groups  of  Anglieanism  is  beyond  question.     But  this  should 
not  confuse  the  general  situati..n.     For  Churehmen  of  every 
stripe,  wherever  fo.uul,  have  felt  the  weight  of  these  inquiries 
coneerning  past,  present,  an.l  future.     The  separation  whieh 
has  disfigured   the  loveliness  of  the  Chnrch    o    Lngland. 
narrowe<l  and  embitteriMl  Puritanism,  divide«l  and  weakened 
(-hristendom.and  gathered  Protestant  peoples  into  numerous 
sects,  cannot  endure  the  pressure  now  brought  to  bear  upon 
its  misconceptions  and  errors,  nor  is  it  congenital  to  1  rot- 
estantism    wlien  tlu-  issues   are  properly  understood    and 
balanced.    This  understanding  and  balancing  enjoy  favor- 
able prospects  because  the  battle  is  no  longer  one  of  prel- 
ates or  divines  in  "a  vast.  dumb,  listless,  illiterate  wor.l. 
or  waged  between  a  few  seciuestered  uni^•erslty  dons      It  is 
an  open  contention,  fraught  with  religious  and  moral  conse- 
quences  which   endmice  the   honorable   dealings  of  inter- 
nationalism,  the  perpetuity  of  a  just  and  universal  peace, 
social  reconstruction,  the    reconciliation  of  various    fonns 
of  truth,  the   maintenance  of    essential    spiritualities,  th-„> 
simplification  of  credal  statements;  in  a  word    the  pres- 
ervation    of    the    Kingdom   of  CumI   upon  earth.     At    tins 
moment  the  ferocious  cruelties  of  an  unparalleled  war  are 
driving  home  the.e  refiections;  a  war  which  has  re^^    led 
the  indescribable  perils  that  knowledge  aiul  culture  incur 
when  thev  are  separated  from  the  control  of  genuine  religion 
and   subjected   to    the   dictates    of    hate   ami   greed,   and 
to   the    anarchv  of  physical    violence.     In    such    a    crisis, 
the  magnitude  and  horror  of  which  surpass  imagination,  tlie 
Christian  Church  must  restore  civilization  to  the  purposes 
from    which    it    has    been    want..nly    deflecttHl.     Whatever 
the    errors     the    rectifications,    the    risks,  the    losses,  this 
obligation  'entails,  Catholic  and    Protestant,  Traditionalist 


JOHN    IIENUY   NEWMAN 


687 


and  MixltTiiist,  urr  hound  to  f;ird  thfinsi-lvt-s  for  its  fulfill- 
ment. Had  thoy  bestowinl  tlu'  saiiH-  assiduous  cart'  ii|M)n 
the  realities  of  love,  and  imrcy,  and  rinhteousness  whieh 
has  been  devoted  to  tiieir  respective  |M'ciiliarities  of  belief, 
mankind  miKhthave  eseajM-d  tiiesiekeninK'  eatastrophe  which 
has  overtaken  it.  And  if  the  Haniin^s  of  this  wrath  shall 
pur^e  the  Church  militant  of  her  dro»,  and  throu>;h 
surterinn  and  deprivation  sanctify  her  for  the  noblest 
ideals  of  her  faith  and  the  sacrifices  necessary  to  attain 
them,  then  even  such  a  vial  of  destruction  as  the  EuroiH-an 
conflict  will  not  have  been  pouretl  out  in  vain. 


588      THREE   UELIGIOUS  LEADEllS  OF  OXFORD 


i1i  ; 


ht- 


lUHLKX'.RAPHY 

Abbott,  F.  A.    Thi-  AnKlinin  (  iirtrr  of  Ciir.liiinl  Ncwtnaii. 
Abbott,  K.  A.    The  rhil.miytluis:    mi  Aiiti.lt.ic  iik'U"-**  <'ri"<lulity. 

Acton,  Loud.     Tin-  Hi-iti>ry  of  Fr Idih  ami  otIuT  Kssays. 

Ai.i.KN,  A.  V.  (i.    Tlif  Cniitinuity  of  Cliristimi  TIioukIiI. 

Hahky,  Wii.i.iAM.     Ncwiiiiin  (I-itcriiry  Lives). 

HhkmoM),  liKMii.    Thf  MyM.ry  of  N.wiimii. 

C'.\Kn;NTKU,    HoYi)-,    Ihsiior  Wii.i.i.vm.    A    Popular   History  of   the 

Cliurcli  of  Keit:lanil. 
Ckiii.,  Ai.iiKU\oN.     Six  Oxforil  Tliinkcrs:  (".itihoii,  Newman,  Church, 

Froucif,  Fiit(T,  Morlcy. 
Cm H(  II,  U.  NV.    'I'lie  n.Ki'">'"K  "'  t'"'  Mi'l'Hf  '^K'"''- 
Cm  i«  II,  R.  W.    Odiisioiiiil  l*a|)<rs. 
("mudi,  R.  W.    Tlif  Oxfonl  Movfiiifiit :    I,s:!:MS|.">. 
t'ou.sisii,  F.  W.     A  History  of  the  Ki.Klish  Clnircli  in  the  Nineteenth 

Century. 
DidUmnni   of   Sallomil    liiosmi'l'U-     Articles   on    Newman.    Itou.Ip, 

Pusev  anil  others. 
Uo\AU)soN,  A.  H.     Five   Creat   Oxford    Ixwlers:     Kehle,  Newman, 

Pnsey,  Lidtlori,  Cluirch. 
Dykk,  Pah.  van.     The  Ape  of  the  Renaissanee. 
Enriirloixrdifi    liriliinnira.     Article    on    Newman. 

edition. 
Faiuhaikn,  A.M.    Catholici-m:   Roman  ami  AnKliean. 
FlsnKK,  (iKolMiK  P.     The  !{eformation. 
Flkt<  iiKH,  .L  S.     .\  Short  Li'e  of  Cardinal  Newman. 
Hi  T(  niNsoN,  \\.  (i.  (F.ditor).    The  Oxford  Movement. 
HlTToN,  R.  H.     Mcxlern  Guides  of  English  Thought   in  Matters  of 

Truth.  t    1  u 

Lilly,  W.  S.  (Editor).  Chararteristics  from  the  Writings  of  John 
Henry  Newman. 

Mabtink.U',  .Lwies.     Essays,  Reviews,  and  Addresses. 

McGiKKF.RT.  A.  C.    The  Rise  of  Modern  Religious  Ideas. 

MoBKULY,  C.  A.  E.     Dulce  Donnmi. 

MoZLKY,  TlloM.\s.     Reminiscences. 

Nk\v.ma.n,  F.  \V.  Contrilmtions  chiefly  to  the  Early  History  of  Cardi- 
nal Newman. 

Nkwma.v,  Joii.N-  Hknhy  CAuniNAL.    Works.     (See  list.) 

Nicoi.l.,  Slu  W.  RonKKTSoN.     The   EximaiUn :    Fourth    Series,   Vols. 

II- ^•^l-  .....      . 

Pekowne,  .F.   L  Stkwaht  (Editor).     Remains  Literary  and  Iheologi- 

cal  of  Connoj)  Thirlwall,  Vol.  L 


Vol.    XIX.     11th 


M 


JOHN    IIKNUY   NKWM.W 


589 


Sahulka,  riiAMi.Ks.  Ciircliiiiil  Nrwiniin  ami  liit  Iiifluencc  on  Ueli- 
gidiis  l.itf  iinil  'I'IiiiiikIk. 

Wai.kkh,  Wii.i.isTciN.     Tlir  Hcfdniiiitii.n. 

Wai.hii.  Wai.tkh.     Thr   S.rr.t    History    of    ihr   Oxford    Mov»-iiicn». 

Waki).  W  i.ntKi).     Till'  l,ifc  i>r.lnliii  llitirv  Ciirdiiiiil  Ntwimtn. 

VVahi),  Wii.KKKi).  Ten  I'.r«oiial  Stinli.s;  Hiiiroiir,  Dilaiir,  lliitton. 
Ktiowlcs,  Si.ljjwi.k,  l.vttoii,  Hv.lir,  (;rmit  DtifF,  l-«<)  XIII,  Wist-- 
iiiiiri,  NfWiiiHii,  Carilinals  Ncwmaii  and   Maiming. 

WKiHiwoiii),  J I  1,1  A.     Nin.tcfiith  Ci-nlury  Tcarlicrs,  and  OtIiiT  Kasays. 

VViiYTK,  Ai.KXA.NDKii.     Newman  ;  An  Apprtriatioti. 


A  LIST  OF  CARDINAL  NKWMAN'S  WORKS 

Parorhinl  and  Plain  Sermons  is  vols.). 

FifttTn  Sermons  Preached  hefore  the  I'niversity  of  O.xford. 

Sermons  Hearing;  upon  Snhjeets  of  the  Day. 

Sermons  I'reaehed  upon  N'arions  Oeeasions. 

lifctures  on  the  Dcwtrine  of  .lustifii  ation. 

An  Essay  on  the  I)e\elo|)ment  of  Christian  Doctrine. 

On  the  Mea  of  a  rni\ersity. 

An  Kssay  in  aid  of  a  (Grammar  of  .\ssent. 

Two  Fssays  on  Hililical  an<l  on  Kcdesiastieal  Miracles. 

Di.s<"iissii)ns  and  ArKUinenfs. 

Fssays  Critical  and  Historical  (2  \(j|s.). 

Historical  Sketches  {'.i  \ols. i. 

The  Arians  of  the  Fourth  Century. 

Select  Treatises  of  St.  .Athanasius  in  Controversy  with  the  .\rian3. 

IxTtures  on  the  Prophetical  Oflice  of  the  Church. 

Certain  DiHiculties  felt  l>y  Anglicans  in  Catholic  Teaching  Considered 

(2  vol,.). 
Theological  Tracts. 

Ix-ctiires  on  the  Present  Position  of  Catholics  in  Kngland. 
The  \"m  Media  of  the  .Vnglican  Churdi  i2  vols,). 
Aj>ologia  pro  \'ita  Sua. 
\'erses  on  \'arious  (X'casion.s. 
liOss  and  (Jain. 
Callista. 

The  Dream  of  Gerontins. 
Meditations  and  Devotions. 
I^etters  and  Correspondence  (2  vols.). 


r^-i; 


I. 


I 


f   ! 


'i 


i-r 


s  r! 


INDEX 


J. 


AUil.ircl.  .".»  f.,  .".I,  111,  .Vv-.. 

AI.IkiII,  Dr.  i:.   \  .  Ci.'.. 

Ai'iDii,  l,<inl.  III. 

Ailili«-.ii.  Jo«|,li,  .Ml.  .'17.  .'lis,  :ii,7. 

.MUtiii^.  M:imiii-,  .'i.t. 

AMcr^Kaii-  Siri'it  .'^Drjiiv,  :i;il. 

Ali-xaiid.r  II,  7 

AI.'XillHllT  III.    III. 

.Mini,    M.aiimIit  V.  (i.,   Iini. 

Alniiiiir\   Ihi>  .  :!7. 

.\iii('rir:iij  I  iitiiiiiHti,  .'111. 

.\ riruii  .MclliiMli^iii.  :l.".l   tT  .  :^.■.^  t 

:i7-' 

.Viiilri'Hi-    l.Mtiicliit.  -'17.  .'M 
.Viinliciiii   f'liur.  Ii,   :tlil    IT      :i'p'i,   :i!iii. 

»i:i,  ijfi  f.,  i.'.i.  .'.-'11  II  .  :>:'!.  r.v.K 
."it'.t,  ,-,7l.  .'i^,".. 

.\iiKlii-Calli..|i.~,     iM..    .".7.'.    II  ,     ."nS. 

,Vsil  (.«.  .i/.v.'  llit:li  Chiirrlii'ii'ii). 
.\lllli-li'.V,   1)1.  .>:illlllrl.    l^.'. 

Aii-iiiii.  s,  :to,  .'il. 

.\liMlliiliiiaIiislii,    l.'l 

Al.i>llrs'  Chll.,    IJJ. 

Ai|Uiiias,  St.  Tlioiiiai,  ,'il.  ."i.l  f  : 
".Siiiiinia."  ,').">  IT..  .ViiKolii  1)im- 
liir."  .'i."! ;   roii.^lniilivc  |iliil<i»i|ilii'i', 

r,i\,  r,s:,. 

.\ri.-itotlf,  ,■>:)  IT.,  :iiiii. 

.\rii<il(l  of  Hri'Mia,   111. 

Ariiiil.l.    Dr.   Tlinma-,    liU.    117.    Ivj, 

.lit,  .'ill'i,  ,'>-.>!l,  .'iM>. 
.\ruii<li'l,  Archhi-slidiiTliiimaH,  II,  UN. 
.\-lnir>  .  Hi.^liop  Kranri.N,  ;i."»,'t  ll..  ii.')^. 
.\\iKiiiiii,  S.i.  HIS. 

HaciMi,  ."^ir  Kratiiis,  2711. 
IJacoii.  Udkit,  111,  L",»,  ,'i!t.  'lit. 
KaKrhiil,  Walter.   Itis. 
Ilalliol  Coll.w,  .<■.,  ,17. 
Harry,  Dr.  V. ,     am,  i:!l,  ,'.<i7. 
Hasil  the  .Ircat.  !ll. 
Hcikct,  Thimi,i>  i\.  (I  IT  .  I.',. 
liicdicT,  Il.-iiry  Ward.  :i\\t. 
Hrui'ilii'tilli--.    id. 
Itcll.'^oll.  JiiM'iill,  :!-'l 
Jliiitliaiii,  ,liTi'liiy,  UK). 


Il.rri.li,'.-,   I'.liii.    l-'l. 
Hi!.!,-  iraii-l.  Hull-.   1  II  IT. 
hilili.    I  1  rill.  i-iM     IJil  I.,  .'i7'.. 

It II.     \ut,'ll-lll.i'.   .iMi.   .M.I. 

111.11  k  D.Mili,  'II.  nil.  1  ):i  IT. 
Ill  Ilk  I'Mii.i  .  Till-.  IJ^  IT. 
Illill,   llu  'll,   ..-'i 

It.., I, In:         :.     Itl.'l.ll.j.     .'.:,\ 

lliilil.r.  '■■■  ll  1.  JJI.  .:i::   :tli..  :ilii. 
Il.iliiiiil.r.ik.'.  j:<: 
Itiihil  ,.,■  VIII,  J.;,  I,.-..  1117,  .'17. 
Ii..-iv  ■!!    .1  Liii.'-,  .'l.'l 

lt.i"ii.  I.  .1    It    ■.'77.  r,<,. 

Ilr.li  I. .11.   11.  Ill^    .1.'     I'l 

Itrailwariliii.  ,    I  li..in  ,  ,      It...  tor  I'ri)- 

Imi.h-.      I'l,  I..'  f. 
Itrav.  Dr.    I'li.iin:!-.  .'7.!. 
Hnii^li      \-M„  1  iiiuii      l..r      \ilvaiii'i>- 

iiii'ui  ..I  S,  „,|„i..    nil, 
linii.t  (  liiii.liiiii  11.   117,  ."i.'O. 
llriiwTiiriL'.  K..I.ITI.   171. 
Wry.  I..II.I.  .'m:!. 
Itii.  kl,\.  Ill    .1    M  ,  .;r..'. 

Itllli-lli.   (  'lli\  .illlT       •  l"*. 

Hum. .11.  I).  .111.  .'..ll. 

iiaikr.  i;ii.iiii„l.  .'1.1.    I'l.;, 

lliiriiiil.  I'.i-li..|..  Js  i 

Itiini-.  H.iU.it,  .'i.,"i  I. 

|tlll>,    Ul.ll.l.l  ,lr.   7il.   7'l. 

Ilii-lir.i'll.  Il.irai....  .il'.l. 

Itiiilir.    lli-li..p  ,lii~i|.li.    J7s,    J^l    f., 

.ill.',   Iii,'i. 
Itvn.ii,  l-iinl,    I'.i.'i, 

(  'alvili.  .luliu,    ll'l. 

Cilviiii-m,  :il,'.  IT.,   r.'li,   I.'.:!. 

I'arlyli.,  ■nii,iM:i-.   Ml.',    Ill  ll..   l.'l). 

( 'alliarj.  Till',  In".. 

( 'aliii'rini'  iif  ,Sii.niKi,   lim  f. 

( 'riiiiiik,  ,liiliii,  H.'li. 

(  'liarli-  lhi.  <;ii    ,1   .(    liarlilnaLMU-l,  .",1, 

Cl.arl,-  \-  .i;iri;,..i..i       1,-,.-,. 

Ciiaun-i.    IJ,  im     I  ;7.   1  111.   liiH.  liio. 
^  '■!i..-i.i!!.|.|.  I...r.|.  J  17, 
!  <   iiiliiiiiivMiilli.  William,  27!). 
i  <  liri^liaii  \i.ar.   Tlu',  ^lj^. 
iOl 


mr^i?mnBM^fsxrx 


■^i^iLK\' 


vsXi# 


rm 


INDKX 


Cluinli.  (•iinci-lilinii-.  nf   the.   "I'-'H  tT 


All  in-ii'ii    nf.    _'til  ;     ill    iiiiii'li'i'ii'l'. 


'*t 


II         .     ) 


i     ! 


iA| 

rchiiir.v .  '■''■>-  IT. 


'■'"'"""'""' -ndau'l     .....      .\„.l,.:,Ji:n.li-l.   >-.-'-|-"''    *-'     ^"«'  — ' 


(liunli     <.l      i 

(  liiinli). 
CliiinlK   l)i-:in  U.   W.,    U  1.    l-in,    U^u, 

ls:i,  .-,|(i,  .".1."..  .")7-'. 
(•|m|.Iimmi  M'.-t,   117.   I.V.I. 
(•l:i|,t..ii  M..t.   117. 

(  'l.-lll'll.l.MI.    <  'iiUIII-il    i)f.   '.'. 

Cl.uk.-.  Dr.  .\.|.iiii.  :ilJ.  ;;ii'.i. 
(  1:1--  iiiri-tiii;:.  -^7.  :i:i.')  IT. 
Clnii.iii  \'.  7.1.  '.I.".,  HIS  f. 

(■i,.i,„.i,i  VII.  1.-..;. 

(  liTi::  .  i-liii>t.'n-'l  :niil  mtuImt,   Is. 
( 'I. .null,  .\itlmr  IliiL'li.    171. 
( '..lilii-II.  \\  illiiiiii.  '■''■''<■ 
('..kc.  ■rii.iiii.i-.  '■'•'<'.  :i""  f 


fjiiilrll 

DlAvi.rtli.  Is:;. 

i;iii~li:iiii-iii.  117.  .".-'1.  •''•fl.  .■■>77. 

i;iii;rli:l.  Snilll<.  .'il. 

i;.i.ii.iii-i.  ii'.i  If. 

I'.v:iiii;<.|i.';ili-"i.   '-'". 

Kv.in-rli.-al..    Ill    It..   .-'IT.    .".-'l.   .V.M, 

.■,:i7,  .'^ll. 
i;v:,iiix..li.:il    U.'vival.    J.^iS.    -'H.'..    -'M. 

1 1 .".. 

laiil.aini.  I'riii'ipal  .\.  M-.  ■"'•'>• 

kailli  ail. I  rca-..li.  -'.s'l. 
|',.Mfi-  l.aiir  S...ii.|y.  .'ii:;. 


Cnl.-ri. !;;.■.   Saiiiurl  Ta\l..r.   J-T.    J::!!.  ;  r.'U.laliM.i.  xiv.   1  HL 

117  II       171  I  1  iriililil.'.   llfliiy.  -lis. 

(•,,ll,.L',.."Mi..aiiiiii;..l  u,,nl,  .!:;.  1  li-k...  .I'.liii.   '."i. 

(•„iu,.mii-.  .I..lin  .Viii.s.  -Mis.  rii/.,al|.li    Ui|lianl.   1...  <.1_ 

,.    c.iriril  ..I     llil.  1."..'',  11.''    !  i'l.Miiiii!:.  Ui.lianl.  l.).>.  V''- 

'  i.'|,.trh.Tnr  M.i.li.li-y.  :iJI  IT.,  :!.">s. 
|-,,uii.lciy.  Till'.  :!l  1. 
riaii.  i-  ..I  .\"i-i.  '."li  IT. 


(  '..h-lalr 

(  '..i.i.kui.l.  \\  illi.nii  .l.ilui.  ."i'..;. 

(  '..ri...!  iii.iii  A.I.  ■'•'»> 

Cullllniav  .   William,  si',  if.,    Hill, 

( ■,.«  |..'l,  William.  Jiiii.  , 

Civi-lil.ill.  lll-l...|.Mali.l.-ll,s:i,',U.l.V,P.  I  l-.atir,.!li.  J}"-.  '■*';>  " 


liau.i-.aii~.  Jl.  111.  70.  (U,  IMl  IT. 


(  'ni-aili-<.  XIV. 

( ■iini.irk.  Ni-h.-iiiiali.  Jl.'i. 

Dint,-.  1111;    ■■(•oii\it..."  l"'"'. 
Daruiii.  Cliarl.'-.   110,  .'I'^i. 
!)a\i.|.  riili-llali.  2SS. 
■  |)r  (  'ail-a   1).  1."  '.^t. 
••  l),.f.ai~..r  r,M a,-."  os. 
Di'i-m.  -"ti.'i.  -Tii  f. 
l)i>Mait..r~  (...    N.iii.-.iiif..Miii-t-). 
Diviiif  Hi'^hi.  iliHtriiir  .if.  -'s:!. 
l)..lliiii;.  I'at|i..r.  ."(I. 

1) iui.-.   l"alliiT.  .'.till. 

D.imiiiiiaii-.  -'1.  '.17. 
Drs.lrii.  ,|..liii.  -lili. 

r.ail!»iuaKi'  ('..nil.  il,  Till'.  1  1-'. 
l..,|uai.l  I.  \v,  2\  IT. 
i;.l«a|.l   11.  J.i. 
!.;.hvanl  111.  711  IT. 
K.lwanl  VI.   l.'s 


liv.U-ri.k  11.  Ulii. 
I'll. 11.  h  lu.v.iliiii.ni.   IJS. 
rriai-  au.l  m.iiik-.  !MI  f.,  101)  IT. 
|.'l.ii^-all.  .Ialiic~.  I-'!'. 
I'l.Mlilo.  .1  line-  Alilli.iliy.    I''-.    I'll. 
riHU,!...    Ui.lianl    ll'iircll,    :i'.l",    l.Vi. 
l.V.i  IT..   I'.MI.    I'.'s  f. 

(  laiiiiiT.  .\rii..|.l.  7-'. 

Cani.k.   Davi.l.  -'Hi  f. 

C  ,-,|n,.t.  Canliiial.  l:;i  IT..  lis  IT. 

(  Iri.ffr.'y  iif  .M. mm. mill.  l.'>!'. 
j  ( ;.a mail  |.icli-m.  -'s7. 
I  (;,.|-,iii.  .I..I111.  !•:!.  I'lii,  I"''.'. 
'  ( ;il>lii.]i,  ivlwanl,  -'i'.l.  .'i.Vi. 

(;il„.,ii.  lii  li..|..  Jsii,  :{(i:!. 
j  i;illi..rt,  .l.ilia.  7:{. 

(lla.UtMn...  \V.  1;..  4SS.  .-.Is,  ,'i4'.». 
I  C.il.Niiiilli.  Olivrr.  -'i'i. 
!  I  i.iiliaiii  .iu.lsiiiM'iil.  'I'M. 
I  (Irav.  ■rii.ima-.  -'li'i. 


i:.|„;,r.l-..  .I..iiatl,,ii,.  2s7.  :;i7f..  :i71.     (i-val  S.Iumii.  I'll.  \W 


Kli.a,  (•..•i.n.'c.  171. 
laiil.nrv.  riiilij..  .i.M. 
|;m,.|-..„.  Kalpli  Wal.l.i 


(  iicat   SkiilsllltiT.  :is. 

(;rr;;..rv  VU  (llil.h-l.raii.ll.  'i  IT.,  .".7. 

Ciriz.iiv  1\.  :!1.  I'Ml. 


laiL'laii.l.  -..lal  .■..ii.lili.m  ..1.  imatilil-    '  li 


.\1.  7:i.  ss,  110,  i:is. 


^.„tli     ..iiimy.     -1"    If.     ■-'~^-'     "  ■  •     (iiim-liau.  WiUia.n.  :i-'l 


IXDKX 


.'Ml 


Crosscf,...!,..  Ri,.li,,r,|.  XV  ;  Cli.ni.pl- 
lori.f  ()xf,,r,|  liiivnsin  ,|ii|l,isl„,|. 
"t     l.irir.,1,,,     I,-,    ir. ;      ,|h-    ■■.<!,• 

i;i'i>tic.  ■  Is  f. 

'iiiicr,  I'liilip.  .{.!:; 


1.1 1|. 


Haiiiiiilcii  niiiirciviTs\ .  .V{|  IT 

Harr.  ./iilii^  Cliarlcs,    117     I  ';; 

Hariiaik.  .Vlolf,  .-,|,  |  i.-,.  ' 

llarri>.  Howell,  Js7.  .ijd. 

Hawkins.  Dr.  i;,lH,.,r,|,   iv  ir 

Uazllii.  William,  :{'.).;. 

llclMlorna.l.il  Council,  .-,4.>,  .-,.-,1. 

Heck.  Marliara,  ;i,jl 

il.nty  I.  js. 

lll'llIN    II.  !(  I. 

Henry  III,  Jo. 

Henry  IV,  CO,  |iis 

Henry  VII.   I. '7. 

ilenry  \  III.   (2s.  .-,17,  r,\>)^ 

Herefonl.  .\i.-liola.s  Ids. 

Hijih Clinnlinien.  tl:f.  t.'ii.  l.id.  .Vil, 

.■>7."i  ir.  (.-,,  (U.f,,  .\Mi;lo-(":,tlio|ii...i 
Hi«lier  eriiirisni.   tjj. 
Hililelir.m.l   ((Ire^orv  VI li    ti  |I      17 
•">7.  111.  '       ■ 

Hill,  Uowlanil,  .!.'.'. 
Hi.story,  Sludy  o(,  \i,  xiii,  7s. 
Ho1)Ik-s.    riionia.-,  27il. 
Honartli.  J.",(|.  •_>.">.!.  .'.">."). 
Holy  Honian  Kinpire,  UNI  f. 
Honorius  III,  <)7. 
Hixiker,  Ki.liurd.  2:i7,  .■>.'(),  ,",77. 
Hopkey,  .Mi,s  .Sipliy.  .'17  ir. 
Horne,  (ieor^..  M]:,, 
Humanism,  xiv. 
Hume,  Daviil,  211.  Jlis,   K),",. 
Hum|ilire,\s.  ,lo>e|,li,  :iL'li. 
HunlitiKilon.  Lady,  L".t2,  :i21. 
Hus,  ,IohM,  im.  Hi).  Kij,' 
Hullon,  U.  H.,  Jii<»,  .-,(i:j. 
Hutton.  \V.  H.,  I.-..  j 

Hymii.s  of  Methodism,  ,J17. 


.liTiis.ilem  liis|io|irii.  .", Is. 

.le^so|i|i.  .\u:;u-tus.  M7  I, 

■lolin.  kill-,, I   i;n,;lan.|.   II   IT 

■lollll   .\.MI   l|,.,|„.|     .-,7    ,;,-, 

•lolm  .\.\lll  (|,o|,..,,  liii. 

■lolm  of  Ciiini.   71    ly.^   ,^7     1  i;j     |.,., 

I-'!',  i.ii  ir..  i.i!i.  '    ■  ■ 

■lollll  .-^iiv,.)  Cliiir,!,,  :!,-,! 

■'olin~on,  .S.imui'l.  .'(;■»,  27(1.  ,jis,  ;{7| 

■lone-.  ( liilljili,  27.'!. 


Kant,  Kl'iie  of.   111.",,   lis. 
K.'Me.    .I,,liii.    .I'm    f. ;     fir,,    nieelini; 
Willi    Newni.in,    1  |s ;     real    founder 
ol     OxtonI     .\I,,v.,nient,      t(i;f     |T, ; 
■    I'lie   ('liri-lian    \'ear."    His ;     ()x- 
loni  A-Mze  .sierni,,!,,  .'HII  ir. 
Kefile.  'rii.inia-.  .").;.!. 
Kelnpis.    r|„,|||  1,  :\.    iici     112.    lijl 
Kini;-le>-,   Challe-,   .■,7((. 
Kiiii;lit-<   Teniplars,  !l."i  f. 
Kiiox.  .lollll.   III). 

l-ini;li,iin.  Anlihisliop.   IJ. 

I.anuland.   William,   1(12.   I.j.-,,  mo. 

l-anutoii,  .^ii'plien.  12,  l.'i  f. 

I..i\  injiloii.  ( ; t;,..  ;{||,| 

l-iw,  William.   I'.l'.l,  2S7.   Ill,    Im. 

l.ay   i:iv,-~tiiure,   conlniviTsv  on,    11. 

l..iy  preailiers,  :i2ii  IT    :i:i7 

l.''a.  Dr.  II.  {■..  !),;, 

L<'rl.lrr,    (i.   v.,    2.-,,    .;i    ir..    7s,    s7 

l-'l  rf. 
l--ky.  W.  Iv  n..  .'1(1. 
l.eo  .Mil.  .-,.-,.-,.  .-,71. 
I.e— ini;.  (.i.  E  ,   lINi. 
I.ilieri.v.  Iiili  f. 

(addon.  Can,, II  H.  P..   Mi'.t.  .|s7 
I.mliif,,,,!.  Hi.|„,p  J    H    :j(ii,  57-1 
I.lo.v.l,  Dr.  Charles,   l.'il. 
Lorke.  .|i,hll,  271. 
Lollanls.  Ills. 
I-o.,fs.  |.-..  271. 
I'owell.  .lames  Iius„.||.  571, 
Low  Chiinliinen.   111.   |;to,  ,-,2 1 
Lulh.i.  Mirtin,  I  11.  Kill,  '2J.5.   U(i 
■  l.u.x  Miinili."  .■,7.-,. 
I..\.'ll,  .<ir  Charle>,   IK). 


Iiinoroni  III,  XV,  II  IT.,  17.  .jO,  !l(i. 

Iiinoient  IV.  Is.  100. 

ItKiuisilion.  lid. 

Interdiet  o,,  i;ii«land.  Ki. 

Ireland    The  eternal  pn, 1,1,. m  of   .iW, 

Ir^h_  Chureh.    Dises,al,lishniem    of!  j  Ma,.aulay,  I,or,l,  ;i(,2.  ;i.;(i.   ,n 

I  Maiiiia  ( 'li.iria,   17. 

■  .MaL'iiiis.    Mlieriii-.  .■,!. 

I  M.inniii,;.  Cardin.il.   Is7.  r,M  II 

I  .Marii,,ti.  Charles.  .-,;;|   f. 


.lames,  William,  ;i.M). 
Jerome  of  I'lamu..  Kill. 


■  ids  f. 


-  W 


I 


r)'.>4 


INDKX 


!    i 


!•• 


,  iih; 


i  i    ;  i 


lii 


t 


'^i: 


II 


M  ,r-.ii:li».  '-S;    honiUl  "f  <l«nin(T..y. 
ilO  f.,  7'.t  tT..  KMi. 

MartinrMU,  Dr.  .latu-s,  :W),  .W".  »'•'• 

i;i7. 

Mather,  Alrxaiulrr,  .««• 
Mauri.v,  1-.  l).  ""•  •■>;-i«- 
Maxfi.'l.l,  Th..mas,  .{-.'(^  .«-H. 
M.C.iffi'rl,  A.(^.^07   4,N. 
Mfilii'ValiMii.  :{  f-  ^1  "■ 
Merle,.,,  Walter  .le,  ;«  f.  •«''• 
Mert<iii  Ciilleiie,  :<•'>• 

histnrv  ai.a  tl.e..loKy.  -Ub  f- .  •'■• 
army,  :«w  ("k,  aUo,  John  ^^e^- 
ley)." 

Mill,  James.  4(Mt. 

Mill.  John  Stuart,  400  IT. 

Milman.  Oe^tu  H.  H.,  421. 

Mill,..,,  .I.-liu.  1.-.7,  2«-.i.  4bO. 

Mull  her,  Phili|),  :5i:i. 

MuiKistieism,  40,  '.»1  tt 

Monks  audfriars,  ml  (.,llH)ff. 

Mciiitfort,  Simon  'le,  19. 
Monldomery,  James,  349. 
Moravian  rhureh,  UDS.  ■-•h».  31.J  ff- 

More.  Sir  Thomas,  l.>0. 

Murley.  U.ra.  404,  4:!.V 

Motley.  Or.  Jan.es  B.,  460,  4s7,  oJ.. 

Mozley,  Th.imtis,  5:v.'. 


i„  .-^o.ithorn  F,iiro,«>,  491  ff. :  «"on. 
versalions  with  l>r  Wiseman 
407  ff  •  -U-ad.  Kin.lly  Li«ht,     and 

pootry",  .-iOif:  ""«"'"' T""/rM,P 
i.sm.  «!,  510,  •  Tracts  (or  the 
Times,"  r,Vi  IT.;  s.-rmons  at  St. 
Murv's,  .V.'l:  Ha>n,.<len  eontro- 
vnrsv  .')-.'4  IT.;  limitations,  .>,5H, 
Traet"  Ninety,  .>W  IT- :  .Kl.isro,.al 
assault     u|.o..     Newmanism,     .>4,i; 

.Irnisalem      '■'■'l'"!'"'''.     ••^^V    TC 
siitned    St.    Marys,   ...>-';      E.ssay 
on  the   Ueveloi.ment   of  f-hnstniu 
Uoetrine."     410.     .V,;» ;      seees.s,on, 
.^0r,;-.\l.olo«ia,"44r,,r„0;hoiu    - 
ary  fellow  of  Trinity  ToUeKe.  .><(. 
Cardinal,    .^71;    die.l    August    U. 
1S90    67i'    "Lectures  on  Cathou- 
eism'  in    Ennlan.l,"  iuZ  ;   a  misun- 
derstood   man,    .5s0    IT.^;     greatest 
ai)oloKist  for  Rome,  i)>>5, 
Nicholas  IV,  :it>. 

Niroll.  Sir  W.  Kolicrtson,  hMi. 

Noetics.  4'2.'i,  4,'>S. 

Nominalists.  .VJ  IT. 

N„„< formists.  :590,  ol!0,  530. 

Norfolk,  Duke  of.  •i4S. 

,0,kha.n,    William    "f-   }^l' ^J^"^"' 

ciUle  Doctor,"  ,M,  o7  f.,  t.l.  70. 
loConnell,  Daniel,  ;»C.. 
f/Klethorpe,  (ieneral,  JtH.. 
Ordination,  Controversy  ou,  .JbO  I. 
Orthodoxy,  574. 
Overton,  Ciinon  J.  H.,  ■«•)»• 
( )xford  University,  27  IT.,  .50  IT.,  34  fl.. 
41  IT.,  4S,  90,  377,  394. 


Nal-oleon  1.  2.-.S.  29.>. 
Nelson.  John.  290. 
Neo-.Vi.iJliea.is.  522. 
New  K.icland  theology.  319. 

New  Lear.iinu,  •^■'-   ,..„.  ,..>^ 

Newman.  Frances  W  lUiaii..  4.?>. 
Newman.  Join.  Henry,  vn,  xv,  -.1.., 
:{(V.  ■       transcendent      persona  il> , 

HOO;  father  and  ■■"'"'V'"'  '' '' l 
,„„version.440;atOxford,4       T 

example  of  trans.mtted  "'A"^"'  ' ' 
440;  fellow  of  Oriel.  44^;  or- 
dained June  13.  1S24.  451  ;  cirae 
of  St.  Clemenfs  ch.irch,  4..1, 
puUic  tutor  at  oriel.  4.-.9;fnei.l- 

ship  with  U.irrell  b  roude    4...t    T- ;  ;•      .  ,t,,,.„it.  i:jS  tf 

..„ou.  ill.-.    '-^'•,  ^"^i';^;^  ;J:fci:s!r  KolH.rt,  397. 

l::;;!:''';;:,;'!.^n;is:.:.^..n;>rie,Uvn^^      ,,,, 

IM,     -The    Ariansof   'l^^"'      '.,,',(  Wakefield,  13. 
I'lain  Sermons,     4^7  «.,   tra\<.i.uK 


Paley,  Will-im,  40,..  . 

I'almer,  William,  51»i,  •^•"'•_ -'^V.. 
I'aiia.v,   The,  9,    14,   23,   70,   73 

j^ff.,  100  IT.,  Ill,  110. 
I'aris.  Matthew,  15. 
Paris,  rniversity  of,  29  ff.,  41. 
Parochial  pricsthooil,  10.>- 
I'ascal,  Hlai.se.  2s2. 
I'attisoii,   Mark,  240 
r.72 


282,  4.'j5, 


0."),  90,  107. 


INUKX 


595 


Philip  AuKiiKtiis,  30. 
Pilmoor.  J<iaeph,  SSI. 
Pitt.  William,  xv,  24s,  2fi»,  .JO". 
Pius  IX,  .V,H. 
Portioiii.ft,  ;i7. 
Prc(lpstiii:itioii,  M',, 
Prpniilloimriaiiisrn.  41(1. 
Prolestaiiti-im.  1711,  .")j:i,  ."jjlt,  .V).'),  ."..Mi, 
PurKatory,  .Vli'  f. 
Piiritaiii.siii,  212,  2,S5,  ."i77. 
Purvey,  147  ff.,  HiS. 
Pu.tcy,    Kilwanl    IJouvpric,  4.")1,  4s7 
.")21,  .■.2."i  (T.,  .V>0,  .-,71  f. 

U.'iiikin.  Thomas,  A.'x't. 

Kaslulall.  Hastliids.  11,  ,",2,  .V)  IT.,  .•.7. 

KatiiMialisiii,  271  IT. 

Realists.  ."i2  IT,.  111. 

Reason  and  un(|erstan<lin(?,  41s  f. 

Reform  Hill.  MJ. 

Refi>rmatioM.  orinin  of,  11,'), 

Reginald,  Sub-prior,  U  f. 

Renan,  Ernest,  o(iC. 

Renaissani'e.  111. 

R-  '!.  Edmund,  1."),  40. 

Hirlianl  II.  W),  131. 

"  Riiliard  Carv-el,"  .i.",!'!. 

Uii'hardson.  Samuel,  208. 

Ritualism,  .■>77  IT. 

RolK'rtson,  .v..  Mh 

Roners,  Thorold,  ():{,  271. 

RoUe,  Richard,  llti. 

Roman   Catholic  Church,  498,   538, 

.5(Mi  IT.,  .■>7,{. 
Romanticism,  47(i. 
Rome,  4!(fi. 

Romill.v,  Sir  Samuel,  2.52. 
Rose,  Hugh  .James,  41)1,  512  f.,  52'.). 
Rosel)ery,  Lord,  2.i8. 
Rousseau,  J.  J.,  2t)(>. 
Routh,  Dr.  Martin,  4.59. 
Royal  .Society,  27(). 
Ruskin,  John,  .'17. 

SchellinK.  V.  W.  J.,  418. 
Schleiemiacher,    K.   E.,   4(H)  ff.,   418. 

420.  470. 
Scholasticism.  .50  IT..  5S5. 
Scott,  Thomas,  44.t,  4.50. 
Siott.  Sir  Walter.  24:{,  205  f.,  477. 
Scotus.  John  Duns,  51,  .55;    "Docioi 

Sulitilis,"  .50.  58. 
Shairp.  Principal,  .508. 
Shelley.  P.  B.,  395. 


Shori'h.im.  William  of.  llfi. 

Siilcwick,  HiMiry.  211. 

Smith.  Syilncy.  371.  410. 

SinnlU'lt,  Toliias.  JOS. 

Society    lor    the    l'ropa«ation    of   the 

Oospcl  in  I'nriiiin  P.irts.  2s7. 
Soilcty      for      I'loniotim;     (;hristian 

Knoulcdiri'.  273.  2s7. 
Southcv .  RoliiTt.  3;!2  IT. 
South  Sea  Hul>lile.  210.  202. 
.■siicciil.itiiMi.  ic'liitioiis,  39!. 
Spencer.  IIcnr\-.  53. 
Stanley.  Dean  H.  P..  417,  421,  4.5.5. 
Stanton,  KiiIht,  579. 
Statute  of  l'n)vj>ors,  71  IT, 
Sti'cle,  Richard.  20.S. 
Slephen  (Kinu).  9, 
Stephen.  Sir  .lames,  319.  .530). 
Stephen,    Sir    Leslie,    230,    278,    301, 

373,  415. 
Sterne.  Laurence,  208. 
Stillinnfleet.  Hisho|)  Edward,  270. 
Stul)l)s.  Hishop  William,  12. 
.Sud!)ury.  .Vrcliliisliop.  142. 
Sunday  schools,  Orinin  of,  273. 
Swift.  Dean.  207,  270. 
Sylvester  II  (I'ope).  29. 

Tait.  .\rehl)isho|i.  528. 
Taylr.r.  Jererri.\ .  193.  237. 
Tennyson.  Lord  Alfred,  471, 
Test  .\ct,  390. 
Thackeray,  W.  M.,  243. 
Thirlwall.  Hi>hop  f 'onnop,  423  f.,  529. 
Thorpe.  William.  108. 
Tolerance,  1.50. 
Toleration.  ,\ct  of,  2s3, 
Toplady,  .\umistiis,  322,  349. 
Tra-tarians,  310.  404,  431.  475.  528  IT. 
Tractarianisni,    391.     U4.    425,     130, 

510.  517,  .531.  541.  .571  IT. 
"Tracts  for  tin-  Times."  513  fT.,  521. 
Transiihstanti.ition,  117  IT.,  112  f. 
Trevelyan,  Sir  G.  M.,  00,  130, 
Ttillcicli.  Priricipil  John,  575. 
Tyjidale.  William.  1.50. 
Tyrii'll.  I  athcr  (lenrye,  ,5s5. 

I'nitarianism,  .317.  319. 
I'niveisiiy,  mcunini;  of  word,  36. 
Crl):.!!  II.  9. 
IrOaii  V.   II.  70. 
I  rhan  VI.  115.  1.53. 
Itilitarianism.  .390  II. 


il 


596 


INDKX 


\  a.-u'.v,   Thoinai',  3.")S. 


(    S' 


;   J!' 


;«' 


\V:illx>lo,  Sir  H.iliprt.  -.'I",  lT.J. 
\V;iUli,  Tlioinas,  :m).  M^. 
WalMiiulmni,  Tlioiiiav  •.fi. 
WarbiirtDii.  Hishnp  Williimi.  L".K»,  :{(l."). 
Wiiril.  Dr.  WilfriMl.  .Vil,  .")I>,S. 
\V:ir.|.  \V.  (!..  Mt  IT..  .".M. 
WarliiM,  Joseph.  1  Hi. 
Wa.-liiimtiiii.  GoDrKi!.  J»i-. 
\\;it    I'nI.t.  l:i'.». 
WalcliMiulit  MTvicc,  :{:(•'>. 
Wulkinsdii.  Dr.  \V.  L.,  :171. 
Waits  Isaac.  :it7. 
\V..(lmvoiKl.  .lulia    j:!!*. 
WelliiiKtoii.  Duke  of.  ■iW>. 
W.-slcv,  CliarU's.  JIM).  JUl.  ^'-'O.  :{-'7. 

347  tr.,  :j.-)S,  :tr,o,  uc.J. 

Wi-.sU-v.   John,    vii,    xv ;     prophet    of 
divine    realities.     17'.t;     l>irlh    and 
early    traiiiini;.    17!»    ff. ;     Charter- 
hoii.se.   iNS:    Christ  Church.   V-M: 
ileacoii  and  priest.   li».'. ;    fellow  of 
Lincoln  Collece,   l'.»").  -'Dl  ;    <'"rate 
at  Wroote.  1'.)^;    Hol.v  Cliil).  l!(»l  ; 
"Methodist,"  2u:i :    with  the  Mo- 
ravians. •_MI^  IT. ;  Savannah.  -l'>  IT. ; 
Miss  Hopkey.  -'17  IT. ;    conversion. 
■.':>1  IT..  :i>l  ;    heart  of  his  nu'ssace. 
[':!.-.;     Journal,    -'70.    :(().->:     Herrn- 
hut,  -'N^;    excluded  from  Antfhc  n 
pulpits,    •-".»();     field    and    itinerant 
preachinn.  U'.Ci  IT.;    ■Earnest    Ap- 
peal." -'lU;  preailiir.c.  appearance, 
and  manner,  -'llli  f. ;    HrisK.I,  '"M  ; 
persi  (  atiou  and  opposition.  :!l)l  IT.  ; 
first      V.ethodist     Society     at     the 
rouiidery,  :U4;    Ketter  I,ane,  Mi. 
dispute      with      WhitelicM.      M-> : 
London  Conference  in    1770,  :i21  ; 
lav   prea.hers,  ;{-'ti  IT. ;    "  Notes  on 
the  New  Testament."  ■i'-W:    i>r(?an- 
izer,  .VM:    "Treatisi'  on  Haptisni,  ' 
iili'.l;       Christian      perfection     anri 
assurance.  :U1   IT  ;    hymn  transla- 
tions, :!l".» ;   Methoili^U]  inCohuiics, 
:{.-)l  •    ordained  Coke  for   America. 
:i.-.s'     Deed, of    Dec!:, ration,    IHi-' ; 

I, red  in  old  a«c,  :i(i:i ;    letter  to 

WilUTforcc.  :!l>l;  death.  ■»>■>; 
character  and  influence.  :ii)t)  If.; 
literary  lalH)rs,  :>77  I. 

1'riiiti.il  in  I  lie  I  ilil 


\Vesley,.S!aniueI,  1S4, 187, 103. 10fi,2()3. 
Wesley,  Su.saniiah,  1H-'  fT.,   Ifl.i,  Ht.i, 

;t-'7. 
West.i.tt,  Bishop  n.  R,  150,  417. 
West  ley,  John,  IW). 
WhatcKit,  Richard,  3.5S. 
Whateley,  llieh.ird,  425,  449  ff„  4.")li, 

White,  Ulaneo,  4,"i7. 

White,  Dr.  John.  IHl. 

Whilefu4d,  (ieorKe,  201,  222,  290  ff., 

:n.-).  HIVl. 
Whimift,  .Xrchbishop,  4.">3. 
Whyte,  Dr.  AU'Xaiider,  480. 
WillK-rforce.  Roliert  Isaac,  530  f. 
WillK'rforee,  Samuel.  '>7'.h 
Williain.s,  Isaac,  51(>,  .■>32,  5.")0. 
Wiseman,  Cardinal,  497  ff.,  539. 
Wordsworth,  William,  206,  411, 
Workman,  Dr.  H.  H.,  25,  45,  .".3,  t)l, 

73.  104,  20tl   341. 
Wycliffe.   Jo''-      originator  of   Euro- 
pean    Protestantism,     vii ;     curly 
environment    and  traiuiiil?,  21   IT.; 
( )xforil,    27 :     moral    and   spiritual 
exha\istion  of  the  times,  30;    Mas- 
ter of    Halliol,   43;    Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity, 4  t ;  Schoolman,  50,  70,  122  ; 
realist,    tiO   f. ;    [Kilitieal    and   auti- 
papal  pamphlets,  (W  £f.;  rector  of 
Lutterworth,  72;   literary  activity. 
7(1;    on  ch  ;rch  endowments,  07  f., 
N');     a    typical     EiiKlishman,    S3; 
arrel>  with  I'apacy,  S4  f.,    114; 
■esiaslical    trials,    SO,    .SO;     five 
,1s  anainst  him,  SS  ;    evaiiRelical 
verty.      SS;       polemic      anainst 
friars  "and    monks,   90   f..    101    ff. ; 
faulty  loKie,  103 ;    anainst  sac'erdo- 
talism,  104  ;    erelesiaatical  protest- 
antism,     112;      doctrine     of      the 
Church,  110;    condemiuvl  l,y  Uni- 
versity Council.   123;    exiled  from 
Oxford,  143;   translating  the  Scrip- 
tures,  143  IT. ;    "  Doctor  Evan«eli- 
cus,"    141;    order  of  poor    priests, 
151  ff. ;  "Triahwis, "  "Opus  Evaii- 
nclieum,"      "Cruciata,"      152     ff. ; 
>mitten    hy    paralysis    aii<l    death, 
l.">4  f.  ;    character,  1.50  f. 
Wykeham,  Willi..m,  34,  30,  S5. 


Zinzendorf,  20S  f.,  224  f., 
i  Slates  of  .\merica. 


2SS. 


»■'     i 


i' 


''T^HK    tollowing   pages    contain    advertisements  of  a 
few  of  the    Macniillan  books  on  kindred  subjects. 


I 


i' 


■!!'M, 


il 


mPORTANT  NEW  WORKS  OF  BIOGRAPHY 

Henry  G)dman  Potter,  Seventh 
Bishop  of  New  York 

By  GEORGE    HODGES 

CU/i,  8vo,  ill.,  tj.jo 

It  will  be  a  source  of  gratification  to  Bishop  Potters  many  friends  to 
learn  that  the  preparation  of  the  official  hiograpliy  of  Dr.  Potter  has 
hern  intrusted  to  De.n  Modges  of  the  Episcopal  Theological  School. 
Long  conversant  with  the  l.irge  essentials  of  Dr.  Potter's  life,  his  train- 
ing and  sympathy  hr.ve  been  such  as  to  <,ualify  him  to  do  the  task  well. 
The  biography  that  he  has  written  describes  Dr.  Potter's  career 
throughout  his  ministry,  especially  as  rector  of  Grace  Church  and  as 
bishop  of  New  York.  The  great  public  services  of  Bishop  Potter  are 
also  dealt  with  at  length. 


The  Life  of  Clara  Barton 

By  PERCY    H.  EPLER 

ClotA,  limo,  ill.,  $j.jo 

From  the  wealth  of  material  at  his  disposal  Dr.  Epler  has  made  a 
most  fascinating  biography.  Miss  Barton's  intimate  friend,  he  h  .s 
-supplemented  his  own  knowledge  of  her  with  a  vast  arr.iy  of  f.cts 
drawn  from  diaries,  correspondence,  and  reports  of  lectures  and 
addresses.  It  h.is  been  his  puqw.se  in  so  far  as  is  possible  to  let  .Miss 
Barton  tell  her  own  story,  which  he  does  by  means  of  direct  quotations 
from  her  writings. 


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PttbUth«M  64-66  Fifth  Avenue  Hew  York 


The  Reconstruction  of  the  Church 

Bv  PAUL    MOORE   S'lRAYKR 

llolh,  ijmo,  $/.f 

The  circle  of  tlic  clmrtl).  the  .uithor  m.iintains.  ou^lu  t"  I'c  widincil 
to  cmbraif  .md  utili/.i-  the  immfiisc  amount  of  unconscious  and  ••  anon\ - 
moi>s  roHKion"  that  exists  outsi.lc  the  cluuch.  an.l  that  the  church 
must  he  Cliri-,tiani/.ed  hy  hrin-inj;  th.  .laiiy  hie  and  husiness  |,rictices 
of  its  members  into  line  «ith  the  law  of  Christ.  To  this  task.  Part  1 
of  Or.  Strayer's  volume  is  addressed.  In  Tart  II  he  «ives  a  diannosis 
of  ihc  present  situation  of  the  church  in  the  light  of  this  larger  purpose, 
and  with  special  reference  to  its  program  and  method.  I'art  III  iioints 
out  the  directions  in  which  reconstruction  is  most  needed,  and  otfers 
suggestions  for  greater  efficiency. 

The  Rise  of  Modern  Religious  Ideas 

By  ARTHUR   CUSH.MAN    McGIFFKRT 

Cli'l/i.  iJ»n\  i'.j)0 

In  "The  Rise  of  .Modern  Religious  Ideas,"  Dr.  McliitTert  shows  the 
relation  of  present-day  religious  thought  to  the  theology  of  the  past 
lie  discusses  the  prevalence  of  the  religious  ideas  which  differ  more  or 
Uss  completely  from  those  of  the  pa,t.  and  shows  their  oiigin.  indicat- 
ing the  circumstances  under  which  they  have  arisen  and  the  inthienees 
1,"  which  they  have  been  determined.  His  te.xt  is  divided  int..  t«o 
books:  I.  Disintegration.  II.  Rec.mstrueti.m.  Umler  the  rirst  of  these 
he  t..kes  up  such  topics  as  Pi.tism.  The  Knlightenment.  Natural  -Sci- 
ence, The  Critical  Philosophy,  under  the  second.  The  Emancipation 
of  Religion.  The  Rebirth  ..f  S|)eculation.  The  Rehabilitation  of  Faith. 
.Agnosticism.  Evolution,  Divine  Immanence.  Ethical  Theism.  The 
Character  of  God.  The  Social  Emphasis,  .md  Religious  Authority. 


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PuWiBhera  64-68  Fifth  Avenue  New  York 


The  Man  of  Nazareth 


Hv   FRKDKRICK    LINCOLN    ANDKRSON,  D.I). 

Pmf.-.M,rof  .\rw  T.st..m,„i  Ini.rpni.ilion  in  .N,«i„n  Th.„:.,«,.al  Insi.fi.ion 

<  hlh,  umo,  i^i.oo 

There  n  n..tl„nK  in  llnglinh  ,ust  liko  tl,is  I k.     Writl.n  n..i  f,„  thf,.|„. 

K.ans.  l,ui  f„r  ihi-  average  man  an.i  «>,man.  it  mvcrth.Us.  Kr..|,|.l,s  (,  arlc^slv 
ami  in.lepcn.lcnily  the  m„„.  important  m,„lfri.  .|,KMi„r„  .,l,„ut  Ksus.  his  ,k'. 
vdupmcnt.  an.l  hi»  .arccr.  indu.linK  "...ny  m.ittcrs  »hi>li  arc  unlv  ra„lv  .1,,- 

cuH,ol.     Wt  the  «h.,U.  U   is  r.markaMc-   f„r  i„  .i,„|,l„  ,tv  an.l   >l.arn,.,. 

\.hile  thcr.  1,  nn  ,i,spl,.y  „f  p,.„,|,.r,,us  IrarniiiK,  tl,c-  author  sh.,»s  tliat  he  Is 
at  home  m  all  the  ncint  literature  ,,l  the  sul.|<il. 

4^''ttA::^x.  ^.''::4*rr.'.:;:'i;':'-- ;;  rf '"  '""'^■'  t^^  • ^  ;^  «"••  - 

.iM.I  pr,.f, I  ,„  il,,,,,^;!,,  ■■  '  •    ^"■"  *■'>  ■      ■'  '*  '^''■"   "'  ■•""l>Ms.  Mmplc  IK  Mylf, 

.Men  s  t  l.issts  .ire  .ilrcady  u»ing  ii.  "^ 


A  Study  of 


The  Drama  of  the  Spiritual  Life 
Religious  Experience  and  Ideals 

Hv  ANNIK    L.  SKARS 

Intruilucti'in  hy    [o^imi    Kum  k 

Clolh,  S: «,  tf.oo 

The  hasis  of  this  honk  is  an  empirical  st,„lv  „f  the  prayers,  hvmns  an  I  mn- 
eral  religious  poetry  an,'  other  expressions  ol  religious  experiences.  In  the 
o|.eniM«  chapter  it  is  stale.l  that  "  man  is  incural.lv  reliKiou.s  •  l,cca,isc  .is  hu- 
niai,  man  is  idealistic.  Keli„ion  i,,  thcre.orc.  close  to  the  common  lite,  vet 
...  rel,«,ous  i.iealism  a  proMcm  is  involve!.  'Ihi,  proM,-,,,  religious  mvs.ici'sm 
.-.ttempts  to  solve.  In  the  seeomi  chapter  .he  author  seeks  to  make  clear 
.vhat  are  the  universal  elements  of  religious  evperieme.  ai„l  in  ,he  succee.iiiiK 
pnrfons  of  the  volume  she  .races  the  storv  of  religious  experience  through  its 
■  hMerences.  oppositions,  tensions,  conllicts.  compromises.  an,|  leconciliations. 
Ihe  prolilem  of  the  work  is  to  ,l,sco^er  whether  the  .on.hainu  elements  an.| 
f..rms  of  religion  can  l,e  hannoni.e.l  an,|  whether  a  signilicant  spiritual  expe- 
rience results.  '  ' 

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PubU«h««  64  66  Fifth  Avenue  New  York 


( 


The  Mighty  and  the  Lowly 

By   KATRINA   TRASK 


Cloth,  umo,  $1.00 


M  "In  thf  VatiKuard"  was  a  stirrinR  |)l.a  f.)r  utiiviTHal  i«atf.  m. 
"Tlic  MiKhty  and  tlu-  Lowly"  in  a  pita  for  s<K.ial  reform  ihrough  a 
riKht  iindtrstanilinK  of  llic  tcathin«  of  J.sus.  \Vritin«  with  Ikt 
acciiMomcd  vijior  and  eliarm,  Mrs.  Trask  coml.ais  \hv  idea  that  Christ 
was  set  .iniinst  any  parlitular  class  -  rich  or  ix.or.  The  theme  is 
l.uilt  around  actual  events  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  the  reader  will  find 
his  interest  stirred  by  the  dramatic  power  of  the  hook  as  well  as  by  its 
arj;ument. 


1;  ( 


1 


What  is  a  Christian  ? 

By  JOHN    WALKKR    POWELL 

C/ofk,  lime,  %iJoo 

This  is  a  clear,  straightforward  discussion  of  the  (jualities  which  to- 
day characterize  a  man  who  l)elieves  in  Christianity.  Special  empha- 
sis is  put  upon  the  Christian's  relation  to  war:  "how  far  can  a  man  laj; 
behind  his  Master  in  thouKht  and  practice  without  forfeiting  his  right 
to  the  title  "  of  Christian  ?  Other  chapters  treat  of  the  Christian  and 
Wealth,  the  Christian  Church,  the  Christian  Ideal.  The  book  is  well 
balanced,  and  a  distinct  contribution  to  the  subject  of  the  relation  of 
the  modern  world  to  the  religion  of  Christ. 

CoNTKNls 

I.    The  Faith  of  a  Christian.     II.    The  Ethics  of  Jesus.  III.    The 

Christian  and   the  War.     IV.    Th-  Christian  and  We.alth.  V.    The 

Christian    Idcd.      VI.   The  Christian    Hope.      VII.   The  Christian 

Church. 

THK    MACMII.I.AN   COMPANY 

PuWi«h«r8  64-66  Fifth  Avenu*  Mew  York 


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